Series Review: The Rhodi Saga by Megan Linski

THE RHODI SAGA

                                               

by 

Megan Linski

Today Connie's Bookmark is a stop on the official Rhodi's Saga blog tour. This groundbreaking new series was just released at the beginning of September. They are all now available to purchase in both print and ebook. I've already had the pleasure of reading them in advance. Here are my thoughts on each book.

 

 

BOOK ONE

Synopsis:

Flight. Hyperspeed. Clairvoyance.

These are some of the powers gifted to the Rhodi, an ancient sect of assassins who defend Crescentia, a dystopian world with a dying hope.

Dyliana Fairsson is one of them. After losing her parents to a suspicious accident, she and her twin brother, Devin, join the Rhodi to avoid starvation. Under the direction of her master, Dylan struggles to learn the strength of her magic …as well as hide the growing scars on her wrists. Can Dylan become the warrior, the hero, she’s destined to be? Or is she fated to fall from the light into the darkness?

The first installment in the epic fantasy series by bestselling author Megan Linski, Rhodi’s Light is an action-packed thrill ride that will leave readers begging for more.

Review:

 

I was really anticipating this series because Megan Linski has earned herself a spot on my favorite authors list ever since her Arabian fantasy "Kingdom From Ashes". This new series doesn't seem to be much like that at all in terms of tone, setting, and era. The overall "feel" of the setting and characters, with their dormant magic and dark pasts, reminds me of a modern Final Fantasy universe. (think FF13-2 or 3) I definitely felt nostalgic all throughout reading it and I'm DYING to play FF now!

But anyway, the first installment in the Rhodi's Saga has good qualities, as well as a few things I hope improve with the next book. For example, Linski puts us in a very unique, yet somehow familiar world, with out the reader getting to explore much of it. And I don't mean like they didn't go anywhere. It's just that I would have liked to have known more about culture a little about the people in the background, not just the handful of characters we get to interact with. The Rhodi are another thing. Their history is very intriguing, but they're so secretive, no one knows who they are. So I didn't really understand why they mattered to the Hunter's Guild so much. Or why they continued even after their numbers nearly died out.

But speaking of characters, Linski doesn't fail to make great ones. The main characters, Dylan and Devin, who are twins, felt very realistic since they were close, but not presented as carbon copies of each others mind, body, and spirit, like so much of media would have us believe. The two definitely had different personalities and that was very refreshing. Dylan has a darkness in her. One she's trying to overcome. I think that's something we all can appreciate. But don't worry, there's no shortage of comic relief with the teens and their quirky friends. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Taladin's soft heart and the other characters all got my attention, too. The villains didn't really get fleshed out until the end and even though they were the main problem, I felt their influence was lacking throughout the story. But at the end of book one, it's clear what the villain's motives are.

Overall this book just felt like the introduction to something bigger. There are still questions to be answered. Still places that need to be filled in on my mental map. There are definitely still things the Rhodi need to do and I'm tagging along for the ride.

4 Stars

* * * * 

BOOK TWO

 

 

 Synopsis:

 

 Forced into hiding.
Desperate to find their masters.

In the past few months since the attack on their home, twin assassins Dylan and Devin have grown restless. With the Rhodi facing extinction, they search for their masters Talidin and Tavana, only to discover they’ve gone missing. With nowhere to turn, the twins seek help from a pair of mysterious spies, only to find the trail gone cold, marked by hints of torture and destruction.

Dylan and Devin piece together the events that led to the disappearance of their fellow Rhodi. As their enemies close in for the kill, Dylan discovers that some things are impossible for a Rhodi…but not for a tigress.

The stakes and romance are heightened in this epic dystopian sequel to Rhodi’s Light. Bestselling author Megan Linski brings readers a young adult fantasy with magic, mystery, and an epic adventure that races quickly to a breathless conclusion.

Review:

 

I was much more enchanted with "Rhodi Rising" than I was the first book. The story was set at a much quicker pace and the action came out of nowhere! One minute, they would be just hanging out, doing what teenagers do, and the next something would attack and there would be Crafts and shapeshifting all over the place!

We get to explore a new country, as well as learn more about the original one. I especially enjoyed the Celtic theme of Dunedinne and the characters that were introduced there. They were a fresh, comic relief, as well as devices of strong character development for our girl Dylan. A bit of romance is what "Rhodi's Light" lacked and "Rising" makes up for it.

The ending came with a twist I wasn't expecting, which is always much appreciated. The book sets everything up for the (what I hear is) epic conclusion, but stands on it's own with page turning plot and lots of action and adventure.  

5 Stars

* * * *

BOOK THREE

 

Synopsis

Cities burn.
Governments fall.
Lives are lost in a desperate war...one the Rhodi are losing.

The world has been devastated by the tyranny of the Red Huntress. To save Crescentia, Dylan and Devin attempt to decipher the mystery of the ancient letter their ancestors left behind, the only hope of salvation for their kind. Dylan continues to fight foes both on the battlefield and within her own mind, all while wrestling with the confused feelings she has for Enfys, the alluring spy who has become devoted to her cause.

In the epic conclusion to the thrilling Rhodi Saga, one brave warrior will stand in the way of corruption, to take place before her destiny…or her death.

Rhodi’s Lullaby is the third installment in the suspenseful young adult dystopian series fans and critics are calling an original masterpiece in the epic fantasy genre.

Review:

 

It's really hard for me to write a review on the third book in the series since it's almost impossible for me to not hand out spoilers, so in case you haven't read this book yet, I would skip this review.

When I'd started this series I had originally said that it reminded me of a modern final fantasy game. Not so much any more, since the setting is more fleshed out in the third book and we have a better sense of the of the environment. That said, the world is holding onto it's own now and feels much more original.

The third installment in the story opens with the cast preparing for a wedding, which is nice, since the story has been a bit dark so far. But it's clear with the impending war and tensions in the crowded house rising that things are about to get a bit chaotic. Especially when an antagonist quickly decides to change sides. Not everyone is agreeable to the change.

My favorite part about this book was actually more of a side story. Devin and Nellie's tragic love story carried me through the pages and was more emotional for me than anything in this book chuck full of feels. I appreciated how almost every single character went through their own struggles and journey, (probably why the darn thing was so long) but I happened to enjoy Devin and Nellie's the most.

The ending was satisfying, giving the readers a very unexpected twist and fulfilling conclusion. I felt like it wrapped up the other two books nicely. 

All of that said, it did take me quite a long time to get through this one. Granted, like 90% of the planet's population, I'm super busy and have little time for books. But when I really gravitate towards a story, there's no stopping me on finishing it. I've had that happen with several other of Megan Linksi's books. Just not this series so much. It was a bit slow, and I just didn't connect with many of the characters like in her previous books. By the third book, I figured out that it was the voice, which is so important to me. Her voice doesn't flow in third person the way it does in first person or passive.

None of that is enough for me to give up on one of my favorite authors though. She has a vampire/werewolf series coming out next year, which normally isn't my thing, but there is an added element of an Anastasia retelling which I just can't resist. I hear it's first person too, so my hopes are high. 

4 stars

* * * *

 

Q&A with Megan Linski about Kingdom Saga #4

Today Megan Linski is answering the most popular questions readers have been asking about Prince of Fire, book 4 in The Kingdom Saga. I've already had the pleasure of reading it, and will be posting my review in a few days! For more about The Kingdom Saga, visit www.gryfynpublishing.com

Prince of Fire

Summary:

Thief lord. Wanted criminal. College student.

Zayde Amirmoez is in his last year of college at Ashana University, and he couldn’t be more eager to leave. A talented thief, Zayde makes a living by robbing jewelry stores in order to care for his ailing mother, who grows sicker each passing day.

Then the dreams begin. Zayde’s nightmares echo memories of a land from another time, visions of a mysterious princess who lived two thousand years ago. At the insistence of his annoying history professor, Zayde becomes friends with the beautiful freshman who loves to dance…the girl who looks exactly like the princess in his dreams.

As a dangerous new Dean and his spiteful son take the helm at Ashana University, Zayde learns of the legends of Queen Bennua, which are eerily similar to his nightmares. Could Zayde’s dreams be a coincidence? Or is it possible that Bennua and Zahid have returned, to save Sahrahn once more?

How did it compare writing Zayde’s voice, as opposed to Bashira’s?

It was very different writing Zayde’s (Zahid’s reincarnation) rather than Bashira’s this time around (Bennua’s reincarnation). Bashira likes to think on things and use all these complicated words, and ponders each situation before she goes into it. Zayde gets straight to the point and doesn’t like describing anything or being fancy in any way. Even when something bad is going on, he’ll try to make the situation humorous, or shrug it off instead of taking it head-on like Bashira. Bashira also likes talking about her emotions a lot, while Zayde doesn’t reveal anything about how he feels, even to himself. Everything’s very cut and dry with him. He’ll tell you enough to move the story along and make it interesting, but you have to read between the lines with him because he has to conceal everything. He likes living in the shadows and being quiet, and that’s just how he is. 

What are some of the main differences between Zahid/Zayde and Bennua/Bashira, and how are they going to be covered in Prince of Fire?

Bashira tends to be worried about everything, and Zayde takes everything in stride. As he sees it, bad things will happen when they happen, and he’ll deal with chaos when it comes, but not a second before. He doesn’t tend to get as riled up as she does. The world could be ending for Bashira, but for Zayde, it’s just another day. Something that did surprise me, though, was the dark side in him. It’s a lot bigger than I thought it was, and he hides it well, but sometimes his sadness and despair peeks out at the most surprising at times. It was a blast playing inside his head, because he’s so honest with you as a character. In the previous Kingdom novels, Bennua took so much more work because I had to cut through the layers and layers of her in order to discover who she really was. It took multiple drafts of Kingdom From Ashes to get her to open up, whereas Zayde in Prince of Fire was like, “Here it is, and this is as good as it’s gonna get, so you can take it or leave it.” 

Who do you believe is your most complex character within the Kingdom Saga?

I believe, more so than any of my other characters, that Bennua is more misunderstood than all the rest. I can agree with readers when they write me and tell me Alora (from the novel of the same name) is too prideful, too arrogant, when they say Kiatana (from Kiatana’s Journey) is aggressive and bratty, because that is who they are and who I made them to be. Bennua, however, is vastly more complicated than either of these two. There is always a hidden meaning behind her actions that few see or understand. Even she has trouble comprehending her decisions at times. Bennua has been referred to as brave, sacrificial, a true leader and hero, but has also been called selfish, eco-centric, and immature by the same readers who adore her. There are reasons why Bennua does the things she is apt to, and none of them come from a feeling of selfishness. Rather, her entire focal point as a character is centered around other people, much like Zahid. She makes decisions not on how they’ll affect her, but everyone else. 

So do you believe Bennua obtains undeserved criticism from readers? 

I wouldn’t say undeserved, as she does make irrational choices. Many readers forget Bennua has had no easy journey; she has lost multiple friends and members of her family along the way to bring peace to Sahrahn, as well as has been subjected to some of the worst experiences mankind has to offer at the ages of seventeen, eighteen, and twenty-one. Not to mention she’s felt the repercussions of a repressive society and a judgmental (and sometimes abusive) family during her childhood. The mistakes she made, and continues to make, come from a place of fear within her. Her worst fear, ultimately, is to be abandoned, and so she will do what it takes to work around that fear and keep the people in her life safe and happy, even if it means making herself miserable. This fear leads her to quick and misplaced decisions that wreak more havoc than she realizes. She longs to help too much, in an effort to be loved, and so it leads to chaos. 

What about Zahid? 

Readers are more willing to let Zahid’s flaws go because he conceals them, and so, we hardly ever see them. His true feelings and desires are rarely revealed to anyone, even Bennua. It can be hard to sympathize with Bennua at points, but what readers must understand is that she’s willing to share her true thoughts with readers. Zahid’s not. Many readers haven’t yet noticed that Zahid can be rather distant in his relationship with Bennua, which I cover more in Prince of Fire. Zahid’s biggest issue is that he shuts others out, and has a tendency to continue with whatever he's doing regardless of the problem at hand. You could have a knife to his throat, and he still won’t talk about how he really feels. In Prince of Fire, readers are going to see that Zahid does have a darker side to him, a flawed side, that Bennua loves just as much as all the other parts. His darkness makes him the man readers fell for.

Faith is a huge theme in The Kingdom Saga. Was this influenced by any personal beliefs of yours? 

I’ll always tell people that if you want to know what my beliefs are about a higher power, go read the Kingdom Saga. My faith parallels Bennua’s, while my doubt rivals Zahid’s. Only together do they make up what makes my faith, my faith. In recent years, I’d say one can’t get by without the other, even though I’ve spent plenty of time in both camps. The entire series has been an evaluation from where I started with “Alshams” until now. It’s definitely not always pretty, and the answers are few and far between, but regardless of whatever happens that higher power is always a central part of my life. Even if I try to escape it, that faith seems to tie my story together, just like it ties together the story of Bennua and Zahid.

Get 'Prince of Fire' Today! 

Character Interview - Zahid from 'Fallen From Ashes'

Zahid 

from

Fallen From Ashes

by 

Megan Linski

 

 

 

Hello everyone! It’s me again, Remy Injay, indie book reporter. Today we’re interviewing the totally hot (and drop-dead gorgeous) prince of thieves Zahid from the novel Fallen From Ashes, #2 in the highly-anticipated Kingdom Saga! How are you doing today, handsome?

Try to keep your drool off the table, miss. I’m a married man now.

That’s right! (Obnoxious moaning of women in the background). Now now, ladies, we can’t ALL get to him. Though I wouldn’t mind a turn...

Anyway.

Anyway! In the last book, Kingdom From Ashes, you and your beautiful wife, Bennua, went on an exotic adventure throughout the desert and saved the kingdom from an evil warlord. What’s different in #2?

There’s lot more of our culture to be experienced than the first time around. Readers who want to see a mythical side of our world have the chance to be transported into a realm of monsters and magic. There’s djinn, dragons, and all sorts of perils we have to face. If you liked the adventure of the first book, and the feeling of being transported to an exotic land, this takes you even further into that experience.

So you’re keeping the 1001 Arabian Nights theme going, correct?

I uh...I have no idea what that is.

Oh, right. Sorry. No culture exchange between worlds. I heard there was a new man catching Bennua’s eye. Huh? HUUUHHH?

You have a lot of nerve asking that question, Remy.

What, I can’t pry?

If you read the book, you wouldn’t even think of being so rude. The last few chapters had the fans sending death threats to the author for weeks.

Ouch! Harsh! ...So she picks the other guy?

...I’m going to stay my patience and complain to the author later about this, Remy. All you need to know is the epic romance is going to continue from Book 1 onto Book 2, but it’s a lot less fairy tale. Real life hits Bennua and I, and I guess I have to be honest and say we don’t cope with it well.

So what’s the verdict then, from the fans?

All the author will tell me is it’s quite an emotional ride for them. The few people on her team that have read it already have very strong feelings for it. I suppose it’s a book that gets a response from you. I know I paid the price heavily for it.

DOES THAT MEAN YOU’RE SINGLE?!?!?!

I love Bennua.

Right. Of course you do. Anyway, that’s a wrap! This is Remy Injay, signing out, and make sure to grab a copy of Fallen From Ashes by Megan Linski, out October 10th! 

 Find 'Fallen From Ashes' Here