Blog Tour Review and Giveaway for, Adversarius: Shadow of the Rose(Book One) by M.L. Chesley

Product Details

• Title: Adversarius: Shadow of the Rose(Book One)
• Author: M.L. Chesley
  
• File Size: 507 KB
• Print Length: 191 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Hellfire Publishing, INC (December 5, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00AJA967O
• FTC;FYI: I received a review e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description

Publication Date: December 5, 2012

Two kingdoms, two goals.
The king of Relavia is determined to wipe out his warring neighbors in Paridzule, a worthy adversary for over five hundred years. News of an arranged marriage between his son and the daughter of his lifelong enemy has fueled the temper of Relavia's tyrannical king. What he doesn't realize is the true measure of his son's honor and how far he is willing to go to gain peace.

Excerpt from Adversarius:

 Captain Sorcha Lilanthroe pushed her spyglass back in upon itself and leaned on the railing of the quarterdeck. She chewed the inside of her cheek, trying to make a decision.

“Fromas,” she finally beckoned her bosun and brother-in-law to her. She passed him the spyglass and lifted her chin in the direction she had been studying. “What does that look like to you? Two points off the port bow,” she directed.

Fromas lifted the contraption to his eye and surveyed the horizon. The suns shone onto his bald head. After a moment, he lowered the spyglass. He tilted his head slightly as he looked at his captain.

“Looks tae be the remains of a ship,” he confirmed her suspicions. “Hard tae tell, but by the color of the sails, might be a warship. Possibly from Paridzule.” Smoke billowed up over the wreckage and as they sailed closer, flotsam appeared in the water. The wake of her ship, the Blue Drake, pushed it easily aside. Sorcha lifted her chin again, indicating another point off the opposite railing for him to inspect.

“And what do you make of that? Four points starboard.” He lifted the glass to his eye once more and whistled softly.

“That looks tae be a survivor,” he passed the spyglass back to Sorcha.

“Indeed it does.”

“What be your orders, Cap'n?”

“Prepare to bring them aboard.”

“Man overboard!” Fromas bellowed, and the crew below them on the main deck relayed the order and prepared to pull the person from the water. One of the crewmen grabbed the gaff, leaning over the railing with the long pole. He made sure to hook the wreckage the person floated on—not flesh. Some of Sorcha's crew pulled on a rope attached to a pulley, sending a man sitting on a plank with a rope tied to each end like a swing, high into the air. Another pull of the rope and he swung beyond the railing as they lowered him into the water. As the man wrapped his arms around the unconscious form, he gave a shout and the men on deck pulled again, lifting both people out of the water and on to the deck, water spraying everyone in a wide arc.

Sorcha left the quarterdeck, going down the stairs to where her crew gathered around the still figure. She jabbed them with her elbows, shoving them roughly aside.

“Someone go fetch Percy. Move!” She shoved several more of her men out of the way and knelt down, pressing two fingers to the cool skin of the girl's neck. Life pulsed there, weak, but life nonetheless. She grabbed first one hand, then the other, looking for something specific. Sorcha found it on the right hand, slipped it off of the unconscious girl's finger and deftly stuck it in her pocket. “All of ye get back to yer stations!” she hollered. Most of the men frowned down at the girl lying on the deck but knew better than to disobey their captain.

My Review:

Adversarius: Shadow of the Rose(Book One) is a High Fantasy novel with a lot of action and a lot of characters. At first, I had a hard time keeping track of all of the many different characters and their names. After that was figured out, it was more of a smooth read for me. There are many characters that would vie for status as "main" characters because you have several story-lines going on in this novel. Some of my favorites would have to be Nightshadow, the woman assassin, and the priest named Rose( there is nothing feminine about him!) They had some of the best lines and plots in the book.  Of course the evil villain, the King of Relavia, Li'endrin,is about as bad as bad gets. I didn't see any goodness in him at all. Anyone that did what he did, to his own children, is an awful creature. Speaking of creatures, there were many different kinds in the story, including dragons, elves, and ogres to add to the excitement.I really did like the half-ogre, Farrehn. He made me laugh a lot, and really did have a good heart. 

There is a lot to like about this first novel, by Author M.L. Chesley. If you don't get distracted by the strange names and the many characters, you will find a good fantasy that will keep you involved. Be ready for a cliff-hanger at the end,which will leave you itching for book #2 in the series.

You can enter to win your own e-copy of Adversarius. Go down below to the Rafflecopter form. You have 2 weeks to enter! Good luck! 
  

Links:

Blog: www.caledonialass.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MLChesley

Website: www.mlchesley.webs.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mel.chesley

Purchase Links:

Amazon Link Here: 

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/262445

 

Author Bio:

M. L. Chesley is an Alaska based author, online blogger and MMORPG junkie. She has been writing fantasy for several years. Between writing, work and family she barely has time for much gaming, but some days, raids take precedence over all. If you would like to learn more about her world, created in this book, go to www.mlchesley.webs.com. You can also follow her blog at www.caledonialass.blogspot.com.

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