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Theft and Sorcery #1
The Ritual
For Chiarin, a young half-elf thief, life is all about survival. Her race means that she is considered an outcast and disposable, and every day could bring her death.
Then she meets fellow thief Zashter, a master of their chosen trade. Against Chiarin’s expectations he agrees to take her on as his pupil, and draws her into a dangerous adventure gathering powerful magical items at the behest of his sinister employer. What purpose these items will serve Chiarin does not know, but it soon becomes apparent that Zashter should not be trusted.
Yet she cannot deny the mutual attraction growing between them, and she becomes entangled so deeply that there is no going back. Soon she must face the biggest choice of her life, a choice Zashter no longer has...
Then she meets fellow thief Zashter, a master of their chosen trade. Against Chiarin’s expectations he agrees to take her on as his pupil, and draws her into a dangerous adventure gathering powerful magical items at the behest of his sinister employer. What purpose these items will serve Chiarin does not know, but it soon becomes apparent that Zashter should not be trusted.
Yet she cannot deny the mutual attraction growing between them, and she becomes entangled so deeply that there is no going back. Soon she must face the biggest choice of her life, a choice Zashter no longer has...
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2013
About the author
Erica Dakin
4 books21 followersI was born in the Netherlands and lived there until age 25, when I moved to Great Britain to be with my boyfriend. I married him in 2006 and have never regretted the move or the marriage.
I have always been an anglophile and started learning English when I was ten. I began writing short stories in English when I was about fifteen, and since my first love in books has always been Fantasy, my dream was to once write my very own epic fantasy novel.
When I got to about age thirty, I realised that whatever I wrote always ended up being heavily romantic, probably because my second love in books is for all things Romance. The short stories kept coming, until I finally got to the point where a short story just wasn't long enough.
My books are as much fantasy as they are romance, and the content is most definitely adult, mainly because I've always thought that there is little point in romance if there is no sex involved. I also feel that it is very important for your characters to be believable - few things used to annoy me more in eighties' romance novels than heroines suddenly going from hate to love for the hero, simply because they reached chapter seven.
I have so far written one fantasy/romance trilogy, the Theft and Sorcery series. The Ritual was published in January 2013, The Conspiracy in May 2013 and The Coup in May 2015. I hope that people will enjoy them, because I can't be the only one who likes the combination of fantasy and romance.
I have always been an anglophile and started learning English when I was ten. I began writing short stories in English when I was about fifteen, and since my first love in books has always been Fantasy, my dream was to once write my very own epic fantasy novel.
When I got to about age thirty, I realised that whatever I wrote always ended up being heavily romantic, probably because my second love in books is for all things Romance. The short stories kept coming, until I finally got to the point where a short story just wasn't long enough.
My books are as much fantasy as they are romance, and the content is most definitely adult, mainly because I've always thought that there is little point in romance if there is no sex involved. I also feel that it is very important for your characters to be believable - few things used to annoy me more in eighties' romance novels than heroines suddenly going from hate to love for the hero, simply because they reached chapter seven.
I have so far written one fantasy/romance trilogy, the Theft and Sorcery series. The Ritual was published in January 2013, The Conspiracy in May 2013 and The Coup in May 2015. I hope that people will enjoy them, because I can't be the only one who likes the combination of fantasy and romance.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 12, 2013
On the whole, The Ritual has so many things going for it that it is hard for me to put it into a “not recommended” category. For its genre, that hybrid world of romantic fantasy in which I myself would lump a considerable portion of the Dragonlance franchise (particularly the Twins trilogy) it stands (or can stand) shoulder to shoulder with some of the more well known books of its canon. It introduces a well-crafted world, full of possibility. A world which Dakin introduces to us through the adventures of her protagonists, who by turns are endearing, frustrating, and most important - likeable.
In fact, had you come to me two days ago, I would have given this novel a 4 star rating. I would have told you that I had sometimes put the novel down reluctantly, and spent time wondering where we would go next, what might be the next turn in the road. Because I was invested. The build-up of the relationship between Rin and Zash is tangible, palpable, to the point that I held my breath when they were on that knife edge point of succumbing to desire. The capers (because we are dealing with a novel involving thief twins) were well plotted. The entire scene at the Abbey is one that I won’t soon forget, and the action added a great layer to the romance, which brought more tension to the capers and so on. I would have told you two days ago that here was a good time out. Not necessarily 5 stars, not necessarily a life-changing or eye-opening novel, but one that did what it set out to do so well that you couldn’t help but grin. And then I hit the end.
I won’t throw it, I won’t spoil it. But I will give my two cents, and explain the 3 star rating.
When God comes clanking down from the machine, He thunks you over the head like a sledgehammer. When a happy ending comes about with little or no merit to its plot points, it tends to leave me feeling a little cheated. In the case of The Ritual I felt pretty cheated. Had the volta been merited, had there been any indication of the last turn of the novel throughout, I would have been satisfied, even overjoyed. But there were no cues to this novel’s ending, no indication throughout that this was the way we were to go. Wishful thinking is well and good, and I won’t deny I didn’t wish the best for Rin and Zash. Honestly, I wanted the best for them. But I needed that best to be earned. In the end, I felt (and still feel) that it wasn’t, and because of that, I’ll have to give the novel 3 stars.
Because The Ritual was so strong, so well designed, and so artfully pulled off throughout, despite some small narrative flaws, I can’t say it was a bad book. However, because it was so well done I have to also explain why its end left me feeling a little frustrated. There is a forthcoming sequel, and yes, I will be coming back to it, but hesitantly, warily. Once bitten is always twice shy.
In fact, had you come to me two days ago, I would have given this novel a 4 star rating. I would have told you that I had sometimes put the novel down reluctantly, and spent time wondering where we would go next, what might be the next turn in the road. Because I was invested. The build-up of the relationship between Rin and Zash is tangible, palpable, to the point that I held my breath when they were on that knife edge point of succumbing to desire. The capers (because we are dealing with a novel involving thief twins) were well plotted. The entire scene at the Abbey is one that I won’t soon forget, and the action added a great layer to the romance, which brought more tension to the capers and so on. I would have told you two days ago that here was a good time out. Not necessarily 5 stars, not necessarily a life-changing or eye-opening novel, but one that did what it set out to do so well that you couldn’t help but grin. And then I hit the end.
I won’t throw it, I won’t spoil it. But I will give my two cents, and explain the 3 star rating.
When God comes clanking down from the machine, He thunks you over the head like a sledgehammer. When a happy ending comes about with little or no merit to its plot points, it tends to leave me feeling a little cheated. In the case of The Ritual I felt pretty cheated. Had the volta been merited, had there been any indication of the last turn of the novel throughout, I would have been satisfied, even overjoyed. But there were no cues to this novel’s ending, no indication throughout that this was the way we were to go. Wishful thinking is well and good, and I won’t deny I didn’t wish the best for Rin and Zash. Honestly, I wanted the best for them. But I needed that best to be earned. In the end, I felt (and still feel) that it wasn’t, and because of that, I’ll have to give the novel 3 stars.
Because The Ritual was so strong, so well designed, and so artfully pulled off throughout, despite some small narrative flaws, I can’t say it was a bad book. However, because it was so well done I have to also explain why its end left me feeling a little frustrated. There is a forthcoming sequel, and yes, I will be coming back to it, but hesitantly, warily. Once bitten is always twice shy.
August 7, 2013
Erica Dakin's The Ritual is the first part of a trilogy, but I was very happy to find out that it works as a stand-alone novel and is not simply a teaser of a larger story.
First, I have to say that the novel was overall very well written and I could only spot a couple of typos. This is very unusual for a self-published novel and the author deserves praise for good proofreading. Second, I did like the basic premise of twins as heroes - I haven't seen such premise since some early Dragonlance books that I read in my youth and it offered some fresh perspective to the storytelling. Third, the plot is intriguing and you are kept guessing what dark secrets the male twins are keeping from our heroines until the very end.
However, I also had some issues with the story. The biggest one of these was the ending which worked a bit too much like a deus ex machina to my liking. One big twist is left completely unexplained while a major one comes like a lightning from a clear sky and is explained only partially. The story also revolved a little too much around the protagonist's incessant drooling over the man she was attracted to. It seemed that she was quite unable to concentrate on anything but him, as pretty much every other paragraph contained a reference to his smell, eyes, presence, actions, behavior etc. etc. This broke the immersion in some scenes where the protagonist should really have been concentrating on the task at hand and such inattention should really have caused more problems and trouble for her than it did. This continues throughout the story, so I take it as part of the genre (romance fantasy, as I choose to name it), but I suspect that the story would have been stronger if the author had been a bit more sparing with these descriptions.
Overall, I still have to say that the story kept me reading until the end and that it did so better than some more established authors have been able to. Erica Dakin compares very favourably to Raymond E. Feist's recent novels, for example, in that she manages to keep the reader guessing and interested in her heroes' and heroines' fates.
First, I have to say that the novel was overall very well written and I could only spot a couple of typos. This is very unusual for a self-published novel and the author deserves praise for good proofreading. Second, I did like the basic premise of twins as heroes - I haven't seen such premise since some early Dragonlance books that I read in my youth and it offered some fresh perspective to the storytelling. Third, the plot is intriguing and you are kept guessing what dark secrets the male twins are keeping from our heroines until the very end.
However, I also had some issues with the story. The biggest one of these was the ending which worked a bit too much like a deus ex machina to my liking. One big twist is left completely unexplained while a major one comes like a lightning from a clear sky and is explained only partially. The story also revolved a little too much around the protagonist's incessant drooling over the man she was attracted to. It seemed that she was quite unable to concentrate on anything but him, as pretty much every other paragraph contained a reference to his smell, eyes, presence, actions, behavior etc. etc. This broke the immersion in some scenes where the protagonist should really have been concentrating on the task at hand and such inattention should really have caused more problems and trouble for her than it did. This continues throughout the story, so I take it as part of the genre (romance fantasy, as I choose to name it), but I suspect that the story would have been stronger if the author had been a bit more sparing with these descriptions.
Overall, I still have to say that the story kept me reading until the end and that it did so better than some more established authors have been able to. Erica Dakin compares very favourably to Raymond E. Feist's recent novels, for example, in that she manages to keep the reader guessing and interested in her heroes' and heroines' fates.
November 2, 2016
Two twin half-elf sisters, one a thief, one a sorceress, meet two twin half-elf brothers, one a thief, one a sorcerer... what are the odds? And there’s this instant attraction... Well, we can see where this is going, can’t we? Still, there are enough original twists here to give this a fresh spin. Elves are the rulers in this world, with humans as the underdogs, but the bottom of the heap are the half-elves, where those with magical ability are scooped up and trained and the rest are slaves or (at best) low ranking servants. They can’t set up in business or own property... which makes it tricky to live independent lives, except by thievery.
This was my first foray into fantasy romance, which in this case is romance with pointy ears. There is a plot, of sorts, involving stealing four items, one for each of the four elements - earth, air, fire and water - for someone or other, but really it doesn’t matter. It’s all just an excuse for smouldering glances over the campfire, sizzling accidental touches while hiding from dragons in caves, and a lot of heavy breathing. The first kiss is a quarter of the way into the book, and before the halfway point we’re into improbably athletic sex of the panting, thrusting, never-been-so-amazing variety. Elvish porn, if you like. And you know what? It’s a helluva lot of fun.
This isn’t a masterpiece of epoch-making literature, but then it has no pretensions to be anything other than entertainment. As fantasy, the world-building is sketchy, the plot isn’t terribly original and the magic is fairly conventional. There’s a lack of realistic detail in the background - the world has a few scattered towns and a lot of emptiness, and the characters simply amble through the scenery, always managing to find enough food and shelter. There appear to be no great threats out in the wilderness, apart from the beasties they themselves seek out as part of their quest. There always seems to be time for a quick roll in the hay. Or a slow one, for that matter. Followed by much, much more of the same. The setting isn’t the important factor, though. The characters have a lot of charm and the ‘romance’ is more plausibly done than some I’ve read, seeming quite natural for the circumstances. Even the obstacles keeping them apart seem reasonably believable. The author has a nicely unobtrusive writing style, and I didn’t spot any typos at all. I did wonder a bit about the morality of all that light-hearted stealing, but it didn’t seem like they had many other options so I’ll go along with it.
A minor grumble. I like a map with my fantasy, and there’s a very nice one here. So what’s the grumble? The map is at the BACK of the book, with no indication it’s there. Probably OK with a printed version, but in an ebook - please put the map at the front! Or a table of contents.
This is a fun book. It follows the conventions of romance, so yes, there’s that instant attraction thing, and there’s a lot of barely suppressed passion right from the start. The fantasy elements play second fiddle here and anyone looking for standard save-the-world fantasy should move right along, although the characters at least have credible motivations. The ending is just a tad too slick for my taste, but there are some good action moments along the way. The events at the monastery were exciting enough to keep me flipping through the pages, breathless to find out how it turns out. And how do our heroes celebrate afterwards? The usual way, that’s how. I have to confess that the constant humping gets a little bit repetitive after a while, and frankly if the male interest had been a vampire I wouldn’t have got through ten pages. But if you have a thing for hot elves (or half-elves, in this case) with a smattering of dragons thrown in, this is an entertaining read. I rarely give romancey type stuff more than three stars, but you know, I really enjoyed this, it’s better written than average and I have a soft spot for dragons (and sexy half-elves, apparently), so four stars it is.
This was my first foray into fantasy romance, which in this case is romance with pointy ears. There is a plot, of sorts, involving stealing four items, one for each of the four elements - earth, air, fire and water - for someone or other, but really it doesn’t matter. It’s all just an excuse for smouldering glances over the campfire, sizzling accidental touches while hiding from dragons in caves, and a lot of heavy breathing. The first kiss is a quarter of the way into the book, and before the halfway point we’re into improbably athletic sex of the panting, thrusting, never-been-so-amazing variety. Elvish porn, if you like. And you know what? It’s a helluva lot of fun.
This isn’t a masterpiece of epoch-making literature, but then it has no pretensions to be anything other than entertainment. As fantasy, the world-building is sketchy, the plot isn’t terribly original and the magic is fairly conventional. There’s a lack of realistic detail in the background - the world has a few scattered towns and a lot of emptiness, and the characters simply amble through the scenery, always managing to find enough food and shelter. There appear to be no great threats out in the wilderness, apart from the beasties they themselves seek out as part of their quest. There always seems to be time for a quick roll in the hay. Or a slow one, for that matter. Followed by much, much more of the same. The setting isn’t the important factor, though. The characters have a lot of charm and the ‘romance’ is more plausibly done than some I’ve read, seeming quite natural for the circumstances. Even the obstacles keeping them apart seem reasonably believable. The author has a nicely unobtrusive writing style, and I didn’t spot any typos at all. I did wonder a bit about the morality of all that light-hearted stealing, but it didn’t seem like they had many other options so I’ll go along with it.
A minor grumble. I like a map with my fantasy, and there’s a very nice one here. So what’s the grumble? The map is at the BACK of the book, with no indication it’s there. Probably OK with a printed version, but in an ebook - please put the map at the front! Or a table of contents.
This is a fun book. It follows the conventions of romance, so yes, there’s that instant attraction thing, and there’s a lot of barely suppressed passion right from the start. The fantasy elements play second fiddle here and anyone looking for standard save-the-world fantasy should move right along, although the characters at least have credible motivations. The ending is just a tad too slick for my taste, but there are some good action moments along the way. The events at the monastery were exciting enough to keep me flipping through the pages, breathless to find out how it turns out. And how do our heroes celebrate afterwards? The usual way, that’s how. I have to confess that the constant humping gets a little bit repetitive after a while, and frankly if the male interest had been a vampire I wouldn’t have got through ten pages. But if you have a thing for hot elves (or half-elves, in this case) with a smattering of dragons thrown in, this is an entertaining read. I rarely give romancey type stuff more than three stars, but you know, I really enjoyed this, it’s better written than average and I have a soft spot for dragons (and sexy half-elves, apparently), so four stars it is.
June 12, 2013
Absolutely delightful! Fantasy is normally not my preferred genre, but I decided to give this one a try since a friend recommended it and I am a big believer in supporting self-published whenever possible. Boy am I glad I did! It was a perfect blend of fantasy, adventure, and romance, and I found myself quickly flying through the pages and hoping it would never end. I would recommend this to just about anyone, but Maria V. Snyder and Poison Study fans especially need to take note - This is a book for you! Seriously, folks - Check this book out today. It's currently an absolute steal on Amazon.com (only $1.00 right now!) and this book is too good not to get some major love from the masses. And in the meantime… I’ll be anxiously waiting for book #2!
November 29, 2013
The protagonists of this high fantasy novel are members of an oppressed minority, their only options a life of crushing poverty or consistent crime. However – unlike the oppressed heroes of some fantasy novels – they are neither on a quest to right this wrong nor defined by their race. Instead Dakin has created characters who, much more realistically, do much of what they do because it brings personal benefit.
The story revolves around Chiarin, a half-elf thief, who fled the prospect of slavery to remain with her twin sister, Shani, a sorcerer. A chance encounter in the market brings her into conflict with Zashter and Mior, also half-elf twins and a thief and sorcerer respectively. Exchanging apprenticeship for help, Chiarin and her sister are drawn into the brother’s scheme to steal several powerful items. With Zashter alternately distant and very friendly, Chiarin must struggle with her growing attraction. A chance conversation reveals another scheme within scheme and the possibility that the brothers do not have their best interests in mind.
Although the plot of gathering several artefacts for a magician is a common one, Dakin successfully layers the individual plots for each item with longer plots for both the characters and the world as a whole, preventing this from feeling simply a series of narrative events.
The majority of the world-building is similarly well done, giving the reader enough detail of different locations to make them feel unique without losing the realistic feel provided by a single culture being broadly the same across its range.
The one area that seemed a little awkward was the legal oppression of all half-elves. Although it felt reasonable for both humans and elves to be socially prejudiced against half-breeds, both humans and elves enjoyed more rights than half-elves. Without a real explanation for why the elves hated their kin more than humans, the legal oppression seemed odd. However, this was ultimately a minor point in an otherwise clearly realised world, and does successfully avoid loss of momentum to long historical exposition.
It is a testament to Dakin’s characterisation that two sets of twins, each comprising a dominant thief and a more laid-back sorcerer, did not seem either unlikely. Apart from the occasional mistaken identity moments, without which the reader might actually feel cheated, the protagonists have distinct personalities and backgrounds that each justify their current career and personality.
Unlike some romance plots, Chiarin’s mix of attraction to and rejection of Zashter feels entirely plausible, with the danger of both their lives and possible plot within a plot supporting heightened emotional reactions and preventing her from taking the sensible course of leaving before a bond forms.
Whilst this novel is the first book in the Theft and Sorcery series, it resolves both the plot arc and immediate character arcs completely, preventing the reader from feeling that the end has come too soon.
I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to readers looking for high fantasy with proper morally ambiguous protagonists.
The story revolves around Chiarin, a half-elf thief, who fled the prospect of slavery to remain with her twin sister, Shani, a sorcerer. A chance encounter in the market brings her into conflict with Zashter and Mior, also half-elf twins and a thief and sorcerer respectively. Exchanging apprenticeship for help, Chiarin and her sister are drawn into the brother’s scheme to steal several powerful items. With Zashter alternately distant and very friendly, Chiarin must struggle with her growing attraction. A chance conversation reveals another scheme within scheme and the possibility that the brothers do not have their best interests in mind.
Although the plot of gathering several artefacts for a magician is a common one, Dakin successfully layers the individual plots for each item with longer plots for both the characters and the world as a whole, preventing this from feeling simply a series of narrative events.
The majority of the world-building is similarly well done, giving the reader enough detail of different locations to make them feel unique without losing the realistic feel provided by a single culture being broadly the same across its range.
The one area that seemed a little awkward was the legal oppression of all half-elves. Although it felt reasonable for both humans and elves to be socially prejudiced against half-breeds, both humans and elves enjoyed more rights than half-elves. Without a real explanation for why the elves hated their kin more than humans, the legal oppression seemed odd. However, this was ultimately a minor point in an otherwise clearly realised world, and does successfully avoid loss of momentum to long historical exposition.
It is a testament to Dakin’s characterisation that two sets of twins, each comprising a dominant thief and a more laid-back sorcerer, did not seem either unlikely. Apart from the occasional mistaken identity moments, without which the reader might actually feel cheated, the protagonists have distinct personalities and backgrounds that each justify their current career and personality.
Unlike some romance plots, Chiarin’s mix of attraction to and rejection of Zashter feels entirely plausible, with the danger of both their lives and possible plot within a plot supporting heightened emotional reactions and preventing her from taking the sensible course of leaving before a bond forms.
Whilst this novel is the first book in the Theft and Sorcery series, it resolves both the plot arc and immediate character arcs completely, preventing the reader from feeling that the end has come too soon.
I enjoyed this book. I recommend it to readers looking for high fantasy with proper morally ambiguous protagonists.
September 17, 2013
In this book I've found all the things I like in Fantasy, action, mystery, great characters, even spicy romance. I enjoyed especially Erica Dakin's writing and I've already bought The Conspiracy, book two in the Theft and Sorcery Trilogy. Here is my review in french:
J'ai reçu ce roman de la part de l'auteur Erica Dakin et vraiment je l'en remercie car j'ai particulièrement aimé cette histoire.
Chiarin et Shani, deux soeurs, mi-elfes, mi-humaines (autant dire pas grand-chose dans leur monde), se débrouillent comme elles peuvent et survivent tant bien que mal de cambriolages et de débrouilles jusqu'au jour où elles rencontrent deux jumeaux, voleurs comme elles qui les prennent sous leurs ailes. Tous les quatre vont partir sur les routes, Chiarin et Shani venant épauler Zashter et Mior dans leur quête car tous deux sont mandatés pour trouver des objets particuliers nécessaires à l'accomplissement d'un rituel magique. A partir de là, aventure et romance sont au programme mais doutes et méfiance demeurent car les deux sœurs sentent que les jumeaux leur cachent quelque chose d'important.
J'ai aimé les deux aspects de l'histoire, que ce soit la partie aventure et action ou la partie intrigue amoureuse entre les deux couples. Rien de très original sur le fond car on est tout à fait dans les codes de la Fantasy avec son lot de méchants, de magie et de créatures fantastiques mais l'auteur a vraiment réussi à équilibrer son roman entre les chapitres axés sur l'action pure et dure ou sur l'histoire d'amour qui se met en place entre les personnages et qui permet de se poser un peu. L'écriture d'Erica Dakin est particulièrement agréable, avec une vraie recherche de vocabulaire et un vrai style d'écriture qui fait quelquefois défaut dans ce genre de roman, plus axé sur l'intrigue que sur le style littéraire. Là ce n'est pas du tout le cas, j'ai trouvé la langue riche et bien pensée, sans fioritures exagérées mais avec une vraie volonté de ne pas donner dans la facilité. Ce n'est pas un livre pour un public trop jeune car certaines situations amoureuses sont très explicites, pour ma part cela ne m'a pas du tout dérangé et j'ai trouvé l'ensemble plutôt "sexy". Les personnages sont vraiment attachants, j'ai beaucoup aimé Chiarin et Zashter, elle est entière, courageuse, loyale et dévouée corps et âme à ceux qu'elle aime, lui est arrogant, entier, un brin têtu mais avec un bon fond. Mior et Shani sont un peu plus effacés et moins marqués au niveau de leur caractère respectif mais ils sont vraiment complémentaires de Chiarin et de Zashter. J'ai complètement adhéré à l'histoire et aux personnages et j'ai passé un très bon moment de lecture.
Ce livre pourrait tout à fait être un "one shot" car l'intrigue se suffit à elle-même mais j'ai déjà acheté le deuxième tome "The Conspiracy" et je suis curieuse de découvrir où l'auteur va nous emmener dans ce deuxième tome.
J'ai reçu ce roman de la part de l'auteur Erica Dakin et vraiment je l'en remercie car j'ai particulièrement aimé cette histoire.
Chiarin et Shani, deux soeurs, mi-elfes, mi-humaines (autant dire pas grand-chose dans leur monde), se débrouillent comme elles peuvent et survivent tant bien que mal de cambriolages et de débrouilles jusqu'au jour où elles rencontrent deux jumeaux, voleurs comme elles qui les prennent sous leurs ailes. Tous les quatre vont partir sur les routes, Chiarin et Shani venant épauler Zashter et Mior dans leur quête car tous deux sont mandatés pour trouver des objets particuliers nécessaires à l'accomplissement d'un rituel magique. A partir de là, aventure et romance sont au programme mais doutes et méfiance demeurent car les deux sœurs sentent que les jumeaux leur cachent quelque chose d'important.
J'ai aimé les deux aspects de l'histoire, que ce soit la partie aventure et action ou la partie intrigue amoureuse entre les deux couples. Rien de très original sur le fond car on est tout à fait dans les codes de la Fantasy avec son lot de méchants, de magie et de créatures fantastiques mais l'auteur a vraiment réussi à équilibrer son roman entre les chapitres axés sur l'action pure et dure ou sur l'histoire d'amour qui se met en place entre les personnages et qui permet de se poser un peu. L'écriture d'Erica Dakin est particulièrement agréable, avec une vraie recherche de vocabulaire et un vrai style d'écriture qui fait quelquefois défaut dans ce genre de roman, plus axé sur l'intrigue que sur le style littéraire. Là ce n'est pas du tout le cas, j'ai trouvé la langue riche et bien pensée, sans fioritures exagérées mais avec une vraie volonté de ne pas donner dans la facilité. Ce n'est pas un livre pour un public trop jeune car certaines situations amoureuses sont très explicites, pour ma part cela ne m'a pas du tout dérangé et j'ai trouvé l'ensemble plutôt "sexy". Les personnages sont vraiment attachants, j'ai beaucoup aimé Chiarin et Zashter, elle est entière, courageuse, loyale et dévouée corps et âme à ceux qu'elle aime, lui est arrogant, entier, un brin têtu mais avec un bon fond. Mior et Shani sont un peu plus effacés et moins marqués au niveau de leur caractère respectif mais ils sont vraiment complémentaires de Chiarin et de Zashter. J'ai complètement adhéré à l'histoire et aux personnages et j'ai passé un très bon moment de lecture.
Ce livre pourrait tout à fait être un "one shot" car l'intrigue se suffit à elle-même mais j'ai déjà acheté le deuxième tome "The Conspiracy" et je suis curieuse de découvrir où l'auteur va nous emmener dans ce deuxième tome.
July 10, 2013
The author might want to kill me after this, but I do pride myself on telling the truth about the books I read. So, here is the truth. I put this book off for a while. I liked the cover well enough and the description sounded interesting, but the genre itself made me think I would hate it. I expected there to be a lot of fluff in this book and a lot of eye rolling on my part. I was wrong. Very wrong. I'm not fond of admitting that, but in this case I must.
The Ritual is definitely an adult book. If you are bothered by blunt language and sex scenes then please move on. If you are not and you wish to read a damn good book, then please pick up a copy and enjoy yourself as I did.
I love the main characters. Really, I was fascinated by the sisters from the first few pages. I love tough female characters in fantasy novels and this book got that right down to a science. Also, how much more awesome can it be than a pair of sisters and identical twin brothers?
I love that Zashter has such an enormous personality as well. He is the type of male lead that you want the heroine to fall in love with--Sexy, admirable and determined to outdo the competition. I enjoyed the dynamic of their emerging feelings for one another.
The story was well written and although there is a lot of dialogue--particularly toward the middle of the novel, it was well written dialogue that kept the characters progressing toward their goals.
The sex scenes in this book are spicy, but they do not come across as silly or simple repeats of other books.They were well planned, well timed and for once, I didn't skip over them entirely as I tend to do with many books. This is a relatively new genre for me--fantasy and romance combined, but if this is any indication of how the genre is going to be I may have to adopt it as one of my new favourites.
The ending has a bit of a double reveal and this was good. It made me feel like the reading I did throughout the rest of the book was leading me to an even bigger reward. I think this author has a good career ahead of her and I look forward to following it.
I liked this book, quite a lot actually. I recommend that you read it too.
The Ritual is definitely an adult book. If you are bothered by blunt language and sex scenes then please move on. If you are not and you wish to read a damn good book, then please pick up a copy and enjoy yourself as I did.
I love the main characters. Really, I was fascinated by the sisters from the first few pages. I love tough female characters in fantasy novels and this book got that right down to a science. Also, how much more awesome can it be than a pair of sisters and identical twin brothers?
I love that Zashter has such an enormous personality as well. He is the type of male lead that you want the heroine to fall in love with--Sexy, admirable and determined to outdo the competition. I enjoyed the dynamic of their emerging feelings for one another.
The story was well written and although there is a lot of dialogue--particularly toward the middle of the novel, it was well written dialogue that kept the characters progressing toward their goals.
The sex scenes in this book are spicy, but they do not come across as silly or simple repeats of other books.They were well planned, well timed and for once, I didn't skip over them entirely as I tend to do with many books. This is a relatively new genre for me--fantasy and romance combined, but if this is any indication of how the genre is going to be I may have to adopt it as one of my new favourites.
The ending has a bit of a double reveal and this was good. It made me feel like the reading I did throughout the rest of the book was leading me to an even bigger reward. I think this author has a good career ahead of her and I look forward to following it.
I liked this book, quite a lot actually. I recommend that you read it too.
September 3, 2013
I got this book directly from the author for no cost as part of the Goodreads First Reader Program.
This novel is about a race of half-elves that are outcasts that are looked down upon from the elves and humans because they are half breeds. They have to steal and fight to survive, because they are not allowed to get jobs and own any property of their own. Some are taken as slaves, and others are executed. The ones that escape and are free, live on their own in the streets, moving from one place to the other, or else they'll get caught and killed.
I believe it was destiny that the two twin sisters, Chiarin and Shani, meet the two twin brothers, Zashter and Mior, that day in the market. It is too much of a coincidence otherwise. The undeniable attraction and connection between Chiarin and Zashter and Shani and Mior gives me reason to believe that it was fate that brought them together. They were having such a hard time, and they showed up and helped them learn and get a better grasp on the tools of the trade with being a thief, but it wasn't just one sided.
It was a great and wonderful story, I really enjoyed reading it. I hardly parted from it while reading, I never wanted to put it down, and when I did, I was back to reading it soon after thats for sure! The chemistry between the characters are palpable and intense. The hardships and betrayal and the general confusion in the characters are so genuine. The emotions that came with the situations was strong.
The only thing I didn't like while reading was the concept that the characters had over time. With using the phrase, I’ve waited for half a measure for an example. It just doesn't seem right, I've never heard that expression used when speaking of time, and it feels like I'm reading about someone measuring something, like with baking or measuring something with measuring tape.
There are little typos and misspellings, and certain phrases that don't seem quite complete, like a word or two missing that makes it more understandable. But other than that, the whole story was magnificent. The love between the characters are just beautiful, I couldn't get enough of it!
This novel is about a race of half-elves that are outcasts that are looked down upon from the elves and humans because they are half breeds. They have to steal and fight to survive, because they are not allowed to get jobs and own any property of their own. Some are taken as slaves, and others are executed. The ones that escape and are free, live on their own in the streets, moving from one place to the other, or else they'll get caught and killed.
I believe it was destiny that the two twin sisters, Chiarin and Shani, meet the two twin brothers, Zashter and Mior, that day in the market. It is too much of a coincidence otherwise. The undeniable attraction and connection between Chiarin and Zashter and Shani and Mior gives me reason to believe that it was fate that brought them together. They were having such a hard time, and they showed up and helped them learn and get a better grasp on the tools of the trade with being a thief, but it wasn't just one sided.
It was a great and wonderful story, I really enjoyed reading it. I hardly parted from it while reading, I never wanted to put it down, and when I did, I was back to reading it soon after thats for sure! The chemistry between the characters are palpable and intense. The hardships and betrayal and the general confusion in the characters are so genuine. The emotions that came with the situations was strong.
The only thing I didn't like while reading was the concept that the characters had over time. With using the phrase, I’ve waited for half a measure for an example. It just doesn't seem right, I've never heard that expression used when speaking of time, and it feels like I'm reading about someone measuring something, like with baking or measuring something with measuring tape.
There are little typos and misspellings, and certain phrases that don't seem quite complete, like a word or two missing that makes it more understandable. But other than that, the whole story was magnificent. The love between the characters are just beautiful, I couldn't get enough of it!
October 24, 2014
I saw someone else's review of this and it sounded worth reading - I was not disappointed.
I was interested in the concept of the half-elves seen as an underclass with no rights, living hand to mouth, constantly in fear, or simply living as slaves. On the whole this worked well.
The story is a rollicking good adventure, with a lot of romance, UST, mystery and, from about 40% of the way through (Yes - I do read on a kindle!), a lot of sex as well. So not a book to read if you don't like sex - unless you are happy to skip these bits - in which case the underlying story would still work well.
What fascinated me most was, oddly, my own reaction to the writing style. Within the first few pages I found myself thinking 'this is someone who has written fanfic - it reads like good fanfic!' This is not a criticism at all - there is a lot of fanfic which is much, much, better than many published works. I did actually wonder if it had original been a Tolkien-based AU story that had had the 'identifying marks' removed - I still think this might have originated in Tolkien fanfic - with good reason.**
By about 15% through I began to think it also read like a good D&D campaign - again this is not a criticism. So I was interested to see someone else compare it to the Dragonlance series - which were, of course, the written version of a long D&D campaign!
I can't quite pin down why I thought these things - but they simply interested me, outside the story so to speak, and the story itself held my attention enough for me to take it to bed and keep reding - which is a commendation.
**Going back to the fanfic thing - after I had finished this book I realised that the writer also offers a totally free download - which is a straight-up 'Girl falls into Middle Earth' story by the look of it. So my impressions were really quite reasonable!
I was interested in the concept of the half-elves seen as an underclass with no rights, living hand to mouth, constantly in fear, or simply living as slaves. On the whole this worked well.
The story is a rollicking good adventure, with a lot of romance, UST, mystery and, from about 40% of the way through (Yes - I do read on a kindle!), a lot of sex as well. So not a book to read if you don't like sex - unless you are happy to skip these bits - in which case the underlying story would still work well.
What fascinated me most was, oddly, my own reaction to the writing style. Within the first few pages I found myself thinking 'this is someone who has written fanfic - it reads like good fanfic!' This is not a criticism at all - there is a lot of fanfic which is much, much, better than many published works. I did actually wonder if it had original been a Tolkien-based AU story that had had the 'identifying marks' removed - I still think this might have originated in Tolkien fanfic - with good reason.**
By about 15% through I began to think it also read like a good D&D campaign - again this is not a criticism. So I was interested to see someone else compare it to the Dragonlance series - which were, of course, the written version of a long D&D campaign!
I can't quite pin down why I thought these things - but they simply interested me, outside the story so to speak, and the story itself held my attention enough for me to take it to bed and keep reding - which is a commendation.
**Going back to the fanfic thing - after I had finished this book I realised that the writer also offers a totally free download - which is a straight-up 'Girl falls into Middle Earth' story by the look of it. So my impressions were really quite reasonable!
April 30, 2013
I was a little put off from the description of this book and dreaded reading it. Only because I had my fill of elves. Yet, Dakin created a world unlike any I've ever read and rebooted this subject for me. I loved the concept of two sets of half-elf twins meeting and falling for each other. It sounds cliche, especially since there was a thief and a sorcerer/sorceress in each set and they fell for the twin more like themselves (a thief for a thief, a sorcerer for a sorceress). But it didn't come off as cliche. Dakin crafted the story in a way where it was fresh and exciting.
I completely fell into the world she created; where the elves ruled the world even over the humans, and half-elves were despised. The action kept going, with bouts of romance, that kept me from getting bored even once. Rin and Zask were entertaining to read, and I rooted for them from the beginning.
I read this book twice, debating on whether to give it three or four stars. While I enjoyed the first half of the book (I couldn't put it down), the second half slowly declined for me until the end where I thought everything concluded a little too perfectly, compared to how the rest of the book went. I also thought that the other twins (Mior and Shani) fell a little flat at times.
I decided on four stars (I wish that Goodreads allowed half stars) because the author did a great job of revitalizing the elf world and put in enough action and exciting moments to merit at least 3 and 1/2 stars.
I completely fell into the world she created; where the elves ruled the world even over the humans, and half-elves were despised. The action kept going, with bouts of romance, that kept me from getting bored even once. Rin and Zask were entertaining to read, and I rooted for them from the beginning.
I read this book twice, debating on whether to give it three or four stars. While I enjoyed the first half of the book (I couldn't put it down), the second half slowly declined for me until the end where I thought everything concluded a little too perfectly, compared to how the rest of the book went. I also thought that the other twins (Mior and Shani) fell a little flat at times.
I decided on four stars (I wish that Goodreads allowed half stars) because the author did a great job of revitalizing the elf world and put in enough action and exciting moments to merit at least 3 and 1/2 stars.
July 1, 2013
I loved it. The end.
Okay, so I should probably put more than that, but it really says it all.
I was hooked before I even finished the first chapter. The characters were intriguing and so real I felt like I could touch them. The pacing was just... perfect. I could rave if I didn't feel so speechless.
Two set of half-elf twins, one of each a thief and a sorcerer, set off on a quest to obtain artefacts for a mysterious ritual. But it's hard to keep secrets when you're falling in love. Rin and Shani, Zash and Mior adventure their way through the country on their strange quest, and slowly learn to trust one another, with certain things anyway. But they aren't the ones planning the ritual, and there's still the big bad to face.
The ending shocked the everloving crap out of me, but it was perfect nonetheless. The epilogue was just long enough to give a good sense of closure to the story and satisfaction about the characters. And I found the revelation about choices, not just at the end, but throughout, very insightful. Kudos!
I was very sad to learn that the next book won't be about them, though that's certainly not going to stop me from reading it, but I hold out hope for a cameo. Please?
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
Okay, so I should probably put more than that, but it really says it all.
I was hooked before I even finished the first chapter. The characters were intriguing and so real I felt like I could touch them. The pacing was just... perfect. I could rave if I didn't feel so speechless.
Two set of half-elf twins, one of each a thief and a sorcerer, set off on a quest to obtain artefacts for a mysterious ritual. But it's hard to keep secrets when you're falling in love. Rin and Shani, Zash and Mior adventure their way through the country on their strange quest, and slowly learn to trust one another, with certain things anyway. But they aren't the ones planning the ritual, and there's still the big bad to face.
The ending shocked the everloving crap out of me, but it was perfect nonetheless. The epilogue was just long enough to give a good sense of closure to the story and satisfaction about the characters. And I found the revelation about choices, not just at the end, but throughout, very insightful. Kudos!
I was very sad to learn that the next book won't be about them, though that's certainly not going to stop me from reading it, but I hold out hope for a cameo. Please?
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
June 30, 2013
The writing in this novel is superb. I was actually shocked to find out that this was Miss Dakin’s first book. She clearly has a love for words and uses them effectively. I felt that the copious use of the f-bomb was a bit much, but perhaps that’s just my personal preference.
People who self-publish frequently get a bad rap. I’ve read quite a few self-published novels and in many cases I’ve noticed that the content is good but the delivery is clumsy. That is definitely not the case with this book. Flawless sentence structure and no typos. The writing was clear, concise and elegant.
This author also has some mad world-building skills. She created a believable world which had enough detail to be authentic but not so much as to be confusing. This is a very delicate balance which is difficult to get right. But she nailed it. The world contains humans, elves and half elves. The protagonist was a half elf who are considered the lowest of the low (which kind of made me think of Dragon Age, for those of you gamers out there).
I would really love to see this author write a story which focuses more on the fantasy aspect than the romantic one. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her other work as I think that she’s quite talented.
People who self-publish frequently get a bad rap. I’ve read quite a few self-published novels and in many cases I’ve noticed that the content is good but the delivery is clumsy. That is definitely not the case with this book. Flawless sentence structure and no typos. The writing was clear, concise and elegant.
This author also has some mad world-building skills. She created a believable world which had enough detail to be authentic but not so much as to be confusing. This is a very delicate balance which is difficult to get right. But she nailed it. The world contains humans, elves and half elves. The protagonist was a half elf who are considered the lowest of the low (which kind of made me think of Dragon Age, for those of you gamers out there).
I would really love to see this author write a story which focuses more on the fantasy aspect than the romantic one. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her other work as I think that she’s quite talented.
Read
August 17, 2013In full disclosure I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish this book, it wasn't necessarily a bad book, it just isn't a genre I like to read. From the giveaway description I thought it was a fantasy book with perhaps some romance elements something I don't mind reading; but it turned out to be very heavy on the romance, too heavy for my tastes.
The characters were okay, at least at the start. The female lead was interesting with a strong personality. She meets up with a guy, who treats her badly and is mean to her, but he had dreamy eyes and attractive so she falls for him. It annoyed me to read about a strong woman acted like this. I guess if I read the whole book there may have been more to it and maybe he would get better, but I didn't enjoy what I read.
The story may have been okay, with an interesting blend of thievery and magic, but the romance element was so dominant throughout it put me off the rest of it.
I decided against rating this book since it really wasn't the sort of thing I like to read and felt it wouldn't be fair to the author for me to do so.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to finish this book, it wasn't necessarily a bad book, it just isn't a genre I like to read. From the giveaway description I thought it was a fantasy book with perhaps some romance elements something I don't mind reading; but it turned out to be very heavy on the romance, too heavy for my tastes.
The characters were okay, at least at the start. The female lead was interesting with a strong personality. She meets up with a guy, who treats her badly and is mean to her, but he had dreamy eyes and attractive so she falls for him. It annoyed me to read about a strong woman acted like this. I guess if I read the whole book there may have been more to it and maybe he would get better, but I didn't enjoy what I read.
The story may have been okay, with an interesting blend of thievery and magic, but the romance element was so dominant throughout it put me off the rest of it.
I decided against rating this book since it really wasn't the sort of thing I like to read and felt it wouldn't be fair to the author for me to do so.
October 26, 2013
I wanted a fun, sexy read that I could lose myself in, and The Ritual fit the bill perfectly! It's an off-the-charts hot fantasy adventure involving thieves, sorcery and half-elves.
Chiarin is a great protagonist. I loved that she was a thief and how Dakin incorporates all the tiny details of the thief's world and code that really brings the story to life. The mythology and world building were presented in a compelling way that never threatened to overwhelm.
So I enjoyed all the fantasy and adventure elements, but really, I was so in it for Chiarin and Zash! More than once did I need to take a break to fan myself.
My only bump was that
But it all wrapped up in a highly satisfying way and made me glad I went on this ride.
Chiarin is a great protagonist. I loved that she was a thief and how Dakin incorporates all the tiny details of the thief's world and code that really brings the story to life. The mythology and world building were presented in a compelling way that never threatened to overwhelm.
So I enjoyed all the fantasy and adventure elements, but really, I was so in it for Chiarin and Zash! More than once did I need to take a break to fan myself.
My only bump was that
But it all wrapped up in a highly satisfying way and made me glad I went on this ride.
June 13, 2013
Though this is a fantasy, it's primarily a romance. The four main characters are half-elves and half-elves are considered to be bottom of the heap and are either kept as slaves or persecuted and sometimes killed for enjoyment by the ruling pure elves.
Zash and Mior are identical male twins. Zash is a master thief and Mior can create magic. They meet up with Rin and Shani who also happen to be identical twins. Rin is a thief and Shani the magical one.
There is an instant attraction between Rin and Zash but Zash is distant to Rin for reasons that are revealed later in the story. The four embark on a quest in search of magical items for a spell. They encounter some danger along the way, there's a particularly nasty scene that takes place in a brothel.
I enjoyed the sex scenes between Rin and Zash, Who knew that elve's ears could be so erotic :-)I found myself rooting for the two of them to be together.
Overall a well-written, enjoyable romantic fantasy.
Zash and Mior are identical male twins. Zash is a master thief and Mior can create magic. They meet up with Rin and Shani who also happen to be identical twins. Rin is a thief and Shani the magical one.
There is an instant attraction between Rin and Zash but Zash is distant to Rin for reasons that are revealed later in the story. The four embark on a quest in search of magical items for a spell. They encounter some danger along the way, there's a particularly nasty scene that takes place in a brothel.
I enjoyed the sex scenes between Rin and Zash, Who knew that elve's ears could be so erotic :-)I found myself rooting for the two of them to be together.
Overall a well-written, enjoyable romantic fantasy.
September 1, 2013
Overall, I really liked this book. The setting was well-built and the characters interesting and well-developped. I was afraid at first that the first-person POV would mean that some characters would be less developped, but in the end, it wasn't an issue at all.
The story is full of events, and I especially liked the variety in resolutions for the acquisition of the magical objects. The story never felt repetitive to me. The pace was overall well-worked, except for the end, which felt too long.
The general tone was adult-y, which worked perfectly for me. The romance became too heavy for me toward the end (I'm not a big fan of I-can't-live-without-you love and long declarations), but other than that, the narration is well-balanced between drama and fun. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoy a trip in a fantasy land of thievery and magic.
The story is full of events, and I especially liked the variety in resolutions for the acquisition of the magical objects. The story never felt repetitive to me. The pace was overall well-worked, except for the end, which felt too long.
The general tone was adult-y, which worked perfectly for me. The romance became too heavy for me toward the end (I'm not a big fan of I-can't-live-without-you love and long declarations), but other than that, the narration is well-balanced between drama and fun. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoy a trip in a fantasy land of thievery and magic.
May 6, 2013
Well written and suspenseful! Great character interaction. Very much in the adult book category with sexually explicit dialog. The author exposes details of each character as the story develops, which keeps the reader engrossed in the story as it unfolds. A surprise ending topped off an excellent story.
September 6, 2013
An amazing book I enjoyed it lots and hope I get the chance to read more by this author. It puts a whole knew twist on the view of elfs and was a great read I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adventure books I didn't want to put it down. Overall it was a brilliant book.
July 28, 2013
Sexy! Heart-fluttery! just Majestic! I could not stop reading this book and I could not stop thinking about it when I put it down!! I enjoyed every part of this book. All the suspense and heart wrenching parts. You can really understand and love the characters! 5 stars out of 5!
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