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Emissary of Light #1
The Emissary
(Previously published as THE EMISSARY with Month9books)
Six rare powers govern the land of Adamah. Possessing one demands entrance to the king’s army. To refuse means a traitorous death.
For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king's army, an unmatched force with inhuman Strength, Speed, Accuracy, Perception, Empathy, and Healing. With the army behind him, the king—a man who wields all six abilities—was invincible and unquestioned in his rule.
To most, serving the king was an honor. But for others, it was a fate worse than death. When seventeen-year-old Nolan Trividar witnesses the transformation of his brother from kind to cruel after entering the king’s army, he vows never to follow the same path.
POWERS OF THE SIX take you to another world where the smallest person can do extraordinary things, the undead infest the night, and the sun emits more than just warmth and light.
Six rare powers govern the land of Adamah. Possessing one demands entrance to the king’s army. To refuse means a traitorous death.
For hundreds of years, dark clouds covered the skies of Adamah, and an ageless king ruled. Those who emerged with one of six extraordinary Shay powers were forced into the king's army, an unmatched force with inhuman Strength, Speed, Accuracy, Perception, Empathy, and Healing. With the army behind him, the king—a man who wields all six abilities—was invincible and unquestioned in his rule.
To most, serving the king was an honor. But for others, it was a fate worse than death. When seventeen-year-old Nolan Trividar witnesses the transformation of his brother from kind to cruel after entering the king’s army, he vows never to follow the same path.
POWERS OF THE SIX take you to another world where the smallest person can do extraordinary things, the undead infest the night, and the sun emits more than just warmth and light.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2014
100 people are currently reading
2758 people want to read
About the author
Kristal Shaff
5 books129 followersKristal Shaff grew up with books (and drove her mom crazy when she wouldn't leave the library); her first job was even shelving books at the library. She loves anything creative, and you can often find her exploring strange and fantastical worlds in her choices of movies and fantasy fiction. Kristal resides in Iowa with her farmer husband, numerous pets, and 4 awesome kids. When she isn't writing, she is a professional face painter who enjoys making children smile.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 3, 2018
What an amazing piece of imagination! This fantasy is truly magical.
Once I started reading there was no stopping. This story grabs a hold of you and takes you on a nonstop ride. I was there. I was living it with the characters. Reveal after reveal. One-two punches. So well written. So unique.
Once I started reading there was no stopping. This story grabs a hold of you and takes you on a nonstop ride. I was there. I was living it with the characters. Reveal after reveal. One-two punches. So well written. So unique.
February 6, 2016
First things first, this book is amazing! 5 shiny golden stars all the way! I would give it 100 stars but the highest goodreads goes is 5.
A Little Back Story:
I first heard about The Emissary on benjiminoftomes's channel about six months ago. The premise sounded intriguing but I'm not going to lie, the cover is what really captured my attention. I added the book to my to-read list and sadly soon forgot about it...
Six Months Later:
I was never a big fan of ebooks, but after discovering free library ebook services like overdrive, I have found myself reading more of them. I recently stumbled upon another library ebook service called enki. Enki mostly carries classics but I scrolled through their fantasy section and found a number of intriguing titles, one of them being The Emissary by Kristal Shaff. Remembering the cover I quickly downloaded the title and proceeded to begin the book.
The Emissary captured me from the first page (which is amazing seeing how short my ebook pages are). At the start of the book we follow Nolen, a young scribe who has been tasked to write down the events that take place when a traitor to the kingdom has been captured. But this traitor may have discovered Nolen's secret that he has tried so hard to hide. Oooohh aaaahhhh! Does that sound good to you? If so, stop whatever your doing and go read this book!
I went into this book not really knowing anything about it, which I recommend. I loved discovering Nolen's secret and learning more about the fun and awesome magic system. I also loved the world. The medieval setting fit this book perfectly. But what really made me love this book was the characters. Each character is entirely their own. They all have their own unique personalities and characteristics which makes them feel so real. I loved every single character in this book except for the main antagonist, but I did love to hate him. Nolen, Alec, and Emery were my top three in this book. Every character goes through so much character development, especially Nolen. I loved the friendship in this book. Nolen and Alec are my favorite literary buddies. I can't wait to see what's next in store for these characters. I hope to see more of everyone, especially Kat who we met at the end of the book.
Another thing I loved about this book was how fast paced it was. I was never bored. I felt like this book had so many plot points that is could of been three moderately sized books if expanded on. But I do believe that it works best how it is now. It's fast paced enough to keep me engaged and never wanting to put it down but it also spends enough time developing the characters and their relationships with each other. It's the perfect balance.
The Emissary brought back some of the same feelings I had when reading The False Prince exactly one year ago. If you don't know, The False Prince was my favorite read of 2015. I believe this is because both books have medieval settings and amazing characters, which I love. Emissary is exactly the kind of fantasy book that I love. Even though it's only the start of 2016 and this is only the second book I've read this year, I believe it's going to be my favorite of 2016. Because it's one of my favorite books I've ever read, and I've read a lot of books.
It astounds me that more people haven't read this book, because if you haven't already gathered from my review it's AMAZING! As I said before I read the ebook version but after finishing The Emissary the first thing I did was buy a physical copy. I am now patiently waiting for that copy to arrive in the mail so I can stare at it until the sequel is released (which I hope is in the not so distant future).
A Little Back Story:
I first heard about The Emissary on benjiminoftomes's channel about six months ago. The premise sounded intriguing but I'm not going to lie, the cover is what really captured my attention. I added the book to my to-read list and sadly soon forgot about it...
Six Months Later:
I was never a big fan of ebooks, but after discovering free library ebook services like overdrive, I have found myself reading more of them. I recently stumbled upon another library ebook service called enki. Enki mostly carries classics but I scrolled through their fantasy section and found a number of intriguing titles, one of them being The Emissary by Kristal Shaff. Remembering the cover I quickly downloaded the title and proceeded to begin the book.
The Emissary captured me from the first page (which is amazing seeing how short my ebook pages are). At the start of the book we follow Nolen, a young scribe who has been tasked to write down the events that take place when a traitor to the kingdom has been captured. But this traitor may have discovered Nolen's secret that he has tried so hard to hide. Oooohh aaaahhhh! Does that sound good to you? If so, stop whatever your doing and go read this book!
I went into this book not really knowing anything about it, which I recommend. I loved discovering Nolen's secret and learning more about the fun and awesome magic system. I also loved the world. The medieval setting fit this book perfectly. But what really made me love this book was the characters. Each character is entirely their own. They all have their own unique personalities and characteristics which makes them feel so real. I loved every single character in this book except for the main antagonist, but I did love to hate him. Nolen, Alec, and Emery were my top three in this book. Every character goes through so much character development, especially Nolen. I loved the friendship in this book. Nolen and Alec are my favorite literary buddies. I can't wait to see what's next in store for these characters. I hope to see more of everyone, especially Kat who we met at the end of the book.
Another thing I loved about this book was how fast paced it was. I was never bored. I felt like this book had so many plot points that is could of been three moderately sized books if expanded on. But I do believe that it works best how it is now. It's fast paced enough to keep me engaged and never wanting to put it down but it also spends enough time developing the characters and their relationships with each other. It's the perfect balance.
The Emissary brought back some of the same feelings I had when reading The False Prince exactly one year ago. If you don't know, The False Prince was my favorite read of 2015. I believe this is because both books have medieval settings and amazing characters, which I love. Emissary is exactly the kind of fantasy book that I love. Even though it's only the start of 2016 and this is only the second book I've read this year, I believe it's going to be my favorite of 2016. Because it's one of my favorite books I've ever read, and I've read a lot of books.
It astounds me that more people haven't read this book, because if you haven't already gathered from my review it's AMAZING! As I said before I read the ebook version but after finishing The Emissary the first thing I did was buy a physical copy. I am now patiently waiting for that copy to arrive in the mail so I can stare at it until the sequel is released (which I hope is in the not so distant future).
October 6, 2012
Full disclosure: this is a Month9Books title.
June 30, 2017
*I requested and was granted a code for this audio book for an honest review*
So, THIS! Holy moley it's been a long time since I read a magical epic adventure, and I found I was really craving one. And OH! Did this ever fit the bill! Intrigue, action, and a beautiful blend of different magical elements made for a fun, fast-paced read. Together with characters I came to care about (Yes, I cried at a point), this is a series I MUST continue, and is going to be added to my favorites of the year. Many of the elements were new to me, which always makes it more exciting, and the ones I was already familiar with had little twists to them to make them fresh. There were characters I loathed, those I loved, and those I pitied, and I thought they were very well written.
Now, for the narration. Dude. DUDE. This may be my new favorite narrator! Not only was his voice smooth and pleasing, but he seemed to know the story. The voices he did (I swear, one of them sounded just like Hagrid haha) were perfect and flawless, and it didn't feel forced in the slightest. There was no issue with switching to females speaking. The speed and tone were just...PERFECT! And yeah, I admit it, I'm a sucker for an accent. But even without, his reading voice is just amazing. I feel like he could read an encyclopedia entry on watching grass grow and it would be great LOL. I think I’ve become a total fangirl…
SO! Now that I’m finished gushing, here’s the lowdown: READ THIS. It is just so good! Anyone who likes epic adventures should thoroughly enjoy this. I definitely urge you to try the audiobook, but really, this book is amazing on its own.
Bob say: 5 Platypires because I’m not allowed to go higher!
So, THIS! Holy moley it's been a long time since I read a magical epic adventure, and I found I was really craving one. And OH! Did this ever fit the bill! Intrigue, action, and a beautiful blend of different magical elements made for a fun, fast-paced read. Together with characters I came to care about (Yes, I cried at a point), this is a series I MUST continue, and is going to be added to my favorites of the year. Many of the elements were new to me, which always makes it more exciting, and the ones I was already familiar with had little twists to them to make them fresh. There were characters I loathed, those I loved, and those I pitied, and I thought they were very well written.
Now, for the narration. Dude. DUDE. This may be my new favorite narrator! Not only was his voice smooth and pleasing, but he seemed to know the story. The voices he did (I swear, one of them sounded just like Hagrid haha) were perfect and flawless, and it didn't feel forced in the slightest. There was no issue with switching to females speaking. The speed and tone were just...PERFECT! And yeah, I admit it, I'm a sucker for an accent. But even without, his reading voice is just amazing. I feel like he could read an encyclopedia entry on watching grass grow and it would be great LOL. I think I’ve become a total fangirl…
SO! Now that I’m finished gushing, here’s the lowdown: READ THIS. It is just so good! Anyone who likes epic adventures should thoroughly enjoy this. I definitely urge you to try the audiobook, but really, this book is amazing on its own.
Bob say: 5 Platypires because I’m not allowed to go higher!
May 30, 2016
This book is told with two main point of view characters. We first met Nolan who is a scribe and desperately trying to keep his Shay a secret. We also met Alec who is a head strong youth who wants to raise against the government. There are six powers that rule Adamah which give people inhuman abilities. They are Strength, Accuracy, Healing, Empathy, Perception, and Speed. The king governs the land and he is a foul and vile king. It is absolutely awful. There are a few who stand up against but most fear him. Nolan and Alec met and go on an epic adventure together where a friendship is formed and legends are made.
This book started off to a slow start. It wasn't a bad slow but fairly interesting slow start. It was a slow build to a fast paced ending. The main characters were developed and I understood them. I felt like I was getting to know my new friends. It was fun and exciting and I didn't want to let them go. Alec was my favorite because he was just honest about everything. He didn't care what came out of his mouth it would just flow like word vomit. He made me feel the most emotion. I laughed and got angry with him. It was a fantastic book relationship that I look forward to returning to.
The plot was easy to understand and flowed nicely. I could easily imagine Adamah and all the characters that came around. It was so interesting that I found myself daydreaming about living in Adamah and what my Shay would be. I think my Shay would be Empathy but it is only because I love purple so much. There is a lot that happened through book one and it felt like several books which left me feeling satisfied.
The villi ans are spectacular. The King is absolutely the most hated villain I have ever encountered. I hated him so much it would upset my stomach just thinking about him. He is twisted and cunning. I just wanted him to die constantly. The other villain is Kael. I loved to hate him. You would see a glimpse of sincere, caring person that would quickly vanish to a pompous, arrogant jerk. He would drive me nuts but I see great potential in him. The villains were perfect because you had one to hate and one to cheer for. It was quite a great combination.
My favorite part was Alec's attitude at the tournament. It was just so teenager. It was funny and he kept putting his foot in his mouth. It was also the time where is relationship with Nolan would begin. It was a fun friendship to watch. When I look back after I finish on how much these two grew and changed it was remarkable. I'm glad I got to go with them on their journey.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I will be intrigued to find out what book two has in store for us. I would recommend this book to any of my older fantasy loving friends.
This book started off to a slow start. It wasn't a bad slow but fairly interesting slow start. It was a slow build to a fast paced ending. The main characters were developed and I understood them. I felt like I was getting to know my new friends. It was fun and exciting and I didn't want to let them go. Alec was my favorite because he was just honest about everything. He didn't care what came out of his mouth it would just flow like word vomit. He made me feel the most emotion. I laughed and got angry with him. It was a fantastic book relationship that I look forward to returning to.
The plot was easy to understand and flowed nicely. I could easily imagine Adamah and all the characters that came around. It was so interesting that I found myself daydreaming about living in Adamah and what my Shay would be. I think my Shay would be Empathy but it is only because I love purple so much. There is a lot that happened through book one and it felt like several books which left me feeling satisfied.
The villi ans are spectacular. The King is absolutely the most hated villain I have ever encountered. I hated him so much it would upset my stomach just thinking about him. He is twisted and cunning. I just wanted him to die constantly. The other villain is Kael. I loved to hate him. You would see a glimpse of sincere, caring person that would quickly vanish to a pompous, arrogant jerk. He would drive me nuts but I see great potential in him. The villains were perfect because you had one to hate and one to cheer for. It was quite a great combination.
My favorite part was Alec's attitude at the tournament. It was just so teenager. It was funny and he kept putting his foot in his mouth. It was also the time where is relationship with Nolan would begin. It was a fun friendship to watch. When I look back after I finish on how much these two grew and changed it was remarkable. I'm glad I got to go with them on their journey.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I will be intrigued to find out what book two has in store for us. I would recommend this book to any of my older fantasy loving friends.
March 14, 2016
This review and more can be found at The A P Book Club!
*I received a copy of this book from Month9Books in exchange for an honest
review*
I love a good YA fantasy. I think that fantasy might be my favorite genre, actually. And a good YA high fantasy? Yes please! I look for the high fantasy books and I always want to read them whenever I find them. And The Emissary is one of those books that totally lived up to what I hoped it would! It's a great YA fantasy book with all the things that make for a memorable high fantasy.
Nolan is actually kind of awesome. He's this nerdy, scrawny little kid who is trying to hide his Shay of Accuracy so that he doesn't have to join the army and lose his humanity like his brother did. He just wants to live his life and hide as a scribe. Until he meets the traitor that will change his entire life and everything he thought he knew.
I really enjoyed watching his journey from timid little kid to a confidant young man to... well, I don't want to spoil the book, so you'll just have to read it to find what Nolan eventually becomes! Trust me, it's worth it and definitely something you want to read about for yourself. I also really enjoyed the new friendships he made along the way. All of the secondary characters are well developed and dynamic. They have such a broad range of personalities and I really felt like Nolan's friends were my friends and almost threw my Kindle across the room when bad things happen to them.
Kristal's writing and world building are fantastic, and I enjoyed getting to know Nolan's world and his people and their magic. The creatures that live in the night are terrifying and yet their stories are incredibly sad. I even felt for the king, who is probably one of the worst kings ever. Especially with how he gained his powers and what he was before he turned evil.
I really hope there's a sequel to this book, because I would love to find out more about what's next for Nolan and the rest of his friends and the kingdom. I thoroughly enjoyed The Emissary, and would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a YA fantasy that's different and exciting. A 4/5, and I can't wait to see what Kristal has up her sleeve next!
*I received a copy of this book from Month9Books in exchange for an honest
review*
I love a good YA fantasy. I think that fantasy might be my favorite genre, actually. And a good YA high fantasy? Yes please! I look for the high fantasy books and I always want to read them whenever I find them. And The Emissary is one of those books that totally lived up to what I hoped it would! It's a great YA fantasy book with all the things that make for a memorable high fantasy.
Nolan is actually kind of awesome. He's this nerdy, scrawny little kid who is trying to hide his Shay of Accuracy so that he doesn't have to join the army and lose his humanity like his brother did. He just wants to live his life and hide as a scribe. Until he meets the traitor that will change his entire life and everything he thought he knew.
I really enjoyed watching his journey from timid little kid to a confidant young man to... well, I don't want to spoil the book, so you'll just have to read it to find what Nolan eventually becomes! Trust me, it's worth it and definitely something you want to read about for yourself. I also really enjoyed the new friendships he made along the way. All of the secondary characters are well developed and dynamic. They have such a broad range of personalities and I really felt like Nolan's friends were my friends and almost threw my Kindle across the room when bad things happen to them.
Kristal's writing and world building are fantastic, and I enjoyed getting to know Nolan's world and his people and their magic. The creatures that live in the night are terrifying and yet their stories are incredibly sad. I even felt for the king, who is probably one of the worst kings ever. Especially with how he gained his powers and what he was before he turned evil.
I really hope there's a sequel to this book, because I would love to find out more about what's next for Nolan and the rest of his friends and the kingdom. I thoroughly enjoyed The Emissary, and would totally recommend it to anyone looking for a YA fantasy that's different and exciting. A 4/5, and I can't wait to see what Kristal has up her sleeve next!
September 29, 2014
This fantasy novel gets 4.4 stars from me. Even though there came a point when I didn't want to put it down, it started out slowly and included some point of view shifts that pushed me back into my own reality.
I love the medieval setting and the clear light versus darkness motif. One of my favorite things about this novel was the "magic" system - if you can call it that. It was unique; the Shays were well-considered and well-rendered, and I completely believed in them. Shaff did an excellent job building a world that resounded with me.
Several scenes early in the story were told from the perspective of Alec, a blacksmith's son. This kid annoyed me and when we spent a few chapters with him, I almost stopped reading the book. I wanted to get back with Nolan, the hero. It felt like his story was interrupted by viewing the testing from Alec's point of view. I felt most of that lengthy section was unnecessary to the plot or the overall would-building. Alec could never got hold of his anger and hatred, and his actions at the end seemed out of character.
Overall, the end fell flat for me. The battle with Alcandor felt anti-climactic and too easily resolved after such an incredible build-up.
The story fell short because rather than having a single clear problem, this story kept adding new ones. Most of the time, it felt like an natural progression, but Nolan's assignment at the end seemed to come out of nowhere. The title makes no sense until the resolution scene at the end.
I recommend it for people who love mysticism. That angle of the book is excellently done. I enjoyed the story, but it just has a few too many problems to earn five stars from me.
I love the medieval setting and the clear light versus darkness motif. One of my favorite things about this novel was the "magic" system - if you can call it that. It was unique; the Shays were well-considered and well-rendered, and I completely believed in them. Shaff did an excellent job building a world that resounded with me.
Several scenes early in the story were told from the perspective of Alec, a blacksmith's son. This kid annoyed me and when we spent a few chapters with him, I almost stopped reading the book. I wanted to get back with Nolan, the hero. It felt like his story was interrupted by viewing the testing from Alec's point of view. I felt most of that lengthy section was unnecessary to the plot or the overall would-building. Alec could never got hold of his anger and hatred, and his actions at the end seemed out of character.
Overall, the end fell flat for me. The battle with Alcandor felt anti-climactic and too easily resolved after such an incredible build-up.
The story fell short because rather than having a single clear problem, this story kept adding new ones. Most of the time, it felt like an natural progression, but Nolan's assignment at the end seemed to come out of nowhere. The title makes no sense until the resolution scene at the end.
I recommend it for people who love mysticism. That angle of the book is excellently done. I enjoyed the story, but it just has a few too many problems to earn five stars from me.
December 23, 2014
I was immediately drawn into the story, which held my interest to the end. The change in character perspective was interesting but I felt my attachments manipulated. I was very rarely distracted by inconsequential mechanics, which made it an enjoyable read.
April 24, 2015
This book was beyond amazing and I am already wishing for a sequel, I like books such as this and this has just reignited the feeling of my liking of them, Kristal, if you read this I live in the same town you do and would really enjoy if you wrote a sequel!!!!!!!!!
August 4, 2013
I was lucky enough to read an early draft of The Emissary and loved it.
April 22, 2017
When Kings Ruled..
The book centers around Nolan, the lead character and his need to hide his powers
This fantasy filled story line had everything from magic,scary creatures, and evil kings.
Overall, an engaging read and I am interested in the next book of the series.
The narrator, Gary Furlong, did well with the narration.
Note:
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."
June 26, 2016
I have one word to say and it is just plain WOW!
Most recently, I got into those books like The Midnight Sea and Sunbolt which all are around the same style and ambiance and Powers of the Six is definitely joined those 2 books as part of my "blown Away" books but being so unexpectedly bloody well brilliant!
We start off with Nolan hiding a massive secret from his employer, his brother, the King and pretty much everyone. What Nolan is hiding is a power and the power of Accuracy to be precise. In fact, there are 6 of those powers, and people get randomly one of them and if those powers manifest well they have no other choice than joining the King's army.
Did I mention the King was evil?
I did not? Well here you have it plus to make it all worse, Kael (Nolan's older brother) is the King's general and has the power of speed.
This should give you a broad general background to the beginning of the book and I am going to try to not give away any more.
I felt that the beginning of the book was on the slow side, it took its sweet sweet time to build up but once you go there it was an amazing surprise. My biggest regret is that I was not able to finish it in one go like I usually do as I was not feeling well, but let me tell you that it was great!
We have super villains, horrific back stories, evil bad guys that I mentioned already, a new deity and a set of wonderfully diverse characters surrounding Nolan such as Alec, Emery and Greer.
We get gruesome fights, action, adventures, new powers... we are talking pretty much epic content! I will to tell you that somewhere near the last quarter of the book where it goes to even higher levels of amazing, I found myself crying during a specific event!
I can freely admit, that my heart stopped and then broke!
That did not last too long, luckily enough but again I said before it was amazing. I will admit that at the end of it , I did not realise it was going to be part of the series until I flipped the page and saw the first few pages of book 2.
Can I say that I would not have minded the book finishing right there and then?
Frankly guys, if you have enjoyed the other books I mentioned above and are into this genre, this is the book for you!
Krystal did an amazing job with the creation and the setting of the backgrounds and the history surrounding this land and the characters. Speaking of characters, they were really relatable and could empathise with them. We discover that some of our heroes were less than perfect before, but that makes them more human and it is impossible not to like them.
A special mention to Alec's dad, where I wanted to kick his ass!
As I said, it started on the slow side, but Powers of the Six maintained a great pace, wonderfully epic action and it was an amazing adventure!
In case, you are still not sure what to think; well I highly recommend it and I cannot wait to see the adventures of Nolan and the others in Book 2!
Most recently, I got into those books like The Midnight Sea and Sunbolt which all are around the same style and ambiance and Powers of the Six is definitely joined those 2 books as part of my "blown Away" books but being so unexpectedly bloody well brilliant!
We start off with Nolan hiding a massive secret from his employer, his brother, the King and pretty much everyone. What Nolan is hiding is a power and the power of Accuracy to be precise. In fact, there are 6 of those powers, and people get randomly one of them and if those powers manifest well they have no other choice than joining the King's army.
Did I mention the King was evil?
I did not? Well here you have it plus to make it all worse, Kael (Nolan's older brother) is the King's general and has the power of speed.
This should give you a broad general background to the beginning of the book and I am going to try to not give away any more.
I felt that the beginning of the book was on the slow side, it took its sweet sweet time to build up but once you go there it was an amazing surprise. My biggest regret is that I was not able to finish it in one go like I usually do as I was not feeling well, but let me tell you that it was great!
We have super villains, horrific back stories, evil bad guys that I mentioned already, a new deity and a set of wonderfully diverse characters surrounding Nolan such as Alec, Emery and Greer.
We get gruesome fights, action, adventures, new powers... we are talking pretty much epic content! I will to tell you that somewhere near the last quarter of the book where it goes to even higher levels of amazing, I found myself crying during a specific event!
I can freely admit, that my heart stopped and then broke!
That did not last too long, luckily enough but again I said before it was amazing. I will admit that at the end of it , I did not realise it was going to be part of the series until I flipped the page and saw the first few pages of book 2.
Can I say that I would not have minded the book finishing right there and then?
Frankly guys, if you have enjoyed the other books I mentioned above and are into this genre, this is the book for you!
Krystal did an amazing job with the creation and the setting of the backgrounds and the history surrounding this land and the characters. Speaking of characters, they were really relatable and could empathise with them. We discover that some of our heroes were less than perfect before, but that makes them more human and it is impossible not to like them.
A special mention to Alec's dad, where I wanted to kick his ass!
As I said, it started on the slow side, but Powers of the Six maintained a great pace, wonderfully epic action and it was an amazing adventure!
In case, you are still not sure what to think; well I highly recommend it and I cannot wait to see the adventures of Nolan and the others in Book 2!
October 5, 2014
The Emissary is classified as young adult fantasy. I think adults that like medieval time period books would enjoy this too. In the Land of Adamah some people have Shay. There are six identified Shay that are powers or gifts. When a person uses their gift their eyes also glow a certain color. Haven’t we all at one time or another, wished we had some super powers. Maybe not all-around superman but maybe wondering what others were thinking, or how we could keep those that we love from feeling pain? The six shay powers are: Accuracy, Empathy, Speed, Strength, Perception and Healing.
When the book opens we are with Nolan. He is a scribe of sorts and trying to hide that he has a Shay power. I didn’t immediately get why he needed to hide his power. Since it is well know that some folks have Shay. It is then disclosed that if you have a Shay you are enlisted into the King’s army.
Relationships between sons and fathers and brothers are examined. Some people have attitudes towards people with certain Shays. Some seem more valued than others in this rustic culture. There is a Tournament of Awakening approaching. There are more characters that you are introduced to and more conflicts. Power, bullying, how people treat each other, being labelled into groups, and how people choose to live their lives are all topics examined within this adventure story.
I think that young fantasy readers would enjoy this novel.
I was given a free copy to enable us to write a honest review.
When the book opens we are with Nolan. He is a scribe of sorts and trying to hide that he has a Shay power. I didn’t immediately get why he needed to hide his power. Since it is well know that some folks have Shay. It is then disclosed that if you have a Shay you are enlisted into the King’s army.
Relationships between sons and fathers and brothers are examined. Some people have attitudes towards people with certain Shays. Some seem more valued than others in this rustic culture. There is a Tournament of Awakening approaching. There are more characters that you are introduced to and more conflicts. Power, bullying, how people treat each other, being labelled into groups, and how people choose to live their lives are all topics examined within this adventure story.
I think that young fantasy readers would enjoy this novel.
I was given a free copy to enable us to write a honest review.
September 23, 2014
I’m not usually a huge fantasy reader so I wasn’t sure how much I’d like this book, but I absolutely loved it! The Shay powers were just cool and I (being a history buff) really loved the medieval setting. The characters are what make this book truly fantastic. Nolan, the main character, decides to hide his Shay power of Accuracy so he can avoid having to serve in the evil king’s army. The journey he takes from someone who hides who and what he is to being a main force behind the rebellion against the king kept me glued to the pages. The other characters in the book are well fleshed out and an integral part of the story, not just there as filler. Alec, Megan and Emery in particular I absolutely loved. Between the magical elements, the rebellion against a psychotically evil king, the group of rebels who band together to become a family of sorts who fight and sacrifice for each other, amazing fighting scenes, truly creepy zombie-like creatures who add even more danger to the game, and even a bit of romance, this definitely goes on my “must read” list – I highly recommend!
June 19, 2016
Power of the six
By Kristal Shaff
4
I was given a book in exchange for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.
Nolan has been hiding his power, and he isolated himself so that no one will know. Alec hopes to rise against the government. The six powers that rule Adamah are Strength, Accuracy, Healing, Empathy, Perception, and Speed. Adamah's king rules unfairly. However no one questions him. He is terrifying. Once Nolan and Alec meet up , the adventure begins.
This book took a little bit to grow on me. It was slow and detailed. However once I got into it, I was hooked. It is hard to write this review without spoilers. The characters are well developed. The pace is slow but if you hang in there, you won't regret it. It is an interesting start to a new series. I will definitely be continuing the series to find out what happens next.
By Kristal Shaff
4
I was given a book in exchange for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.
Nolan has been hiding his power, and he isolated himself so that no one will know. Alec hopes to rise against the government. The six powers that rule Adamah are Strength, Accuracy, Healing, Empathy, Perception, and Speed. Adamah's king rules unfairly. However no one questions him. He is terrifying. Once Nolan and Alec meet up , the adventure begins.
This book took a little bit to grow on me. It was slow and detailed. However once I got into it, I was hooked. It is hard to write this review without spoilers. The characters are well developed. The pace is slow but if you hang in there, you won't regret it. It is an interesting start to a new series. I will definitely be continuing the series to find out what happens next.
June 19, 2016
This is a challenging book! It shows Kristal Shaff’s writing skills and her great imagination. Creating a completely new world in medieval times, combining this world with the language of that time and adding the fantasy elements is worthy of our attention. I love how the author decided to create this story from scratch.
The characters evolve constantly, from shy and not significant to bold and brave. I appreciated the slow development of action in the beginning, as it gave me some idea about why the characters decided to live the way they did. The Shay powers also were nicely combined, especially when the team started building up. I cannot say I have a favorite character as all of them had something specific, each one being unique in his/her way.
This is definitely a series to follow and another author to be added on my list. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You will be captivated by the new surroundings and each character’s personality!
The characters evolve constantly, from shy and not significant to bold and brave. I appreciated the slow development of action in the beginning, as it gave me some idea about why the characters decided to live the way they did. The Shay powers also were nicely combined, especially when the team started building up. I cannot say I have a favorite character as all of them had something specific, each one being unique in his/her way.
This is definitely a series to follow and another author to be added on my list. I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did. You will be captivated by the new surroundings and each character’s personality!
September 29, 2014
This is a very well written fantasy book I wish I could get for our library. The writing and editing are very good making this easy to immerse yourself in. The characters feel well fleshed out with accurate responses to their personalities and with good development as the story continues through the book. I like the plot as it feels original and well thought out with no glaring plot holes. This is a real page-turner well worth the read. I received an evaluation copy through Month9Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 18, 2017
This was an interesting return to the more serious epic fantasy genre for me. I wasn't quite sure while I was reading, whether I liked it completely or not…the characters were diverse and multi faceted, which was nice to see. The main protagonist was just a little too good in the end, which almost made me angry until I actually finished the book :)
Magic system and world building are intriguing enough, though I wish they were a bit more defined…
All in all, I did enjoy the book and I will probably read the next one in the series.
Magic system and world building are intriguing enough, though I wish they were a bit more defined…
All in all, I did enjoy the book and I will probably read the next one in the series.
July 25, 2016
This book was truly exceptional. The writing was very mature, there were few grammatical errors (if any), the characters were fleshed out and likable, the pacing was on point, the plot engaging and surprising, the book the right length for its contents. Highly recommend if one enjoys fantasy books, shy characters with a surprising amount of inner strength, and intricate worlds that somehow feel natural and immediately immersing.
January 2, 2017
Powers of the Six- Emissary of Light 1
I love this world. Science fiction/ fantasy has gotten another tweak in a world mixed with humans and other races. Nolan is a typical nerd in a world where things like that don't matter- a world where you are separated by powers and bright colors. It makes it easy for him to hide.
Minor editing errors, nothing major.
I love this world. Science fiction/ fantasy has gotten another tweak in a world mixed with humans and other races. Nolan is a typical nerd in a world where things like that don't matter- a world where you are separated by powers and bright colors. It makes it easy for him to hide.
Minor editing errors, nothing major.
December 27, 2014
I received a copy of this work from the publisher for an honest review. Fun, fun, fun. In many ways, I was reminded of Raymond E. Feist as I read. The story is rather straight forward; the world/magic system is simple without being boring. The writing is optimistic. I would by this book!
Want to read
October 10, 2014I NEED this book.
June 16, 2015
Decent. Surprising. Fresh. Not entirely gripping though.
Edit: Will read more by this author.
Edit: Will read more by this author.
June 1, 2016
Very good
It blends perfectly with the style of genre that this generation of books represent. Great characters along with good play lines set the stage for a successful series.
It blends perfectly with the style of genre that this generation of books represent. Great characters along with good play lines set the stage for a successful series.
June 12, 2016
starts kind of slow, but stay with it. great book!
July 2, 2016
Awesome!
This book was a great read. It kept me enthralled! I could hardly put it down. The characters were thoroughly explained and the story was riveting.
This book was a great read. It kept me enthralled! I could hardly put it down. The characters were thoroughly explained and the story was riveting.
September 27, 2016
A little different, well worth the read.
I enjoyed the story, looking forward to reading the second book. I would recommend this story to everyone. Give it a try.
I enjoyed the story, looking forward to reading the second book. I would recommend this story to everyone. Give it a try.
November 15, 2016
Powers of Six
A good book. A unique entry in the fantasy realm and genre. A well written drama. One for all to read.
A good book. A unique entry in the fantasy realm and genre. A well written drama. One for all to read.
February 4, 2025
This book started off straight to the point which is something that I love. I didn't find any info dumping here. There was no long meandering exposition and we learn about the world as we go. I found the world Ms. Shaff created interesting, I would describe it as a fantasy with a dose of medieval times. I was easily able to immerse myself into the world once I got started.
It's fascinating the different types of "shays" or special abilities in the world that the author chose to use in her story. I believe accuracy and perception are two unique additions that I have not seen often in stories with special abilities. I especially enjoyed the tournament and the different trials the characters had to go through. It was a fantastic set up to the characters and the story. Each trial was intriguing and I realized I kept trying to guess which characters would get which shay. That was fun.
A minor issue I had with the book was the point of views. I know I only read an ARC but I thought it would be solely from Nolan's point of view since he is the protagonist but I found myself reading through a few other character's point of view. I don't have a problem with reading from another character's view point but I did find it a bit jarring jumping from one character to another after a long period with a specific character. I feel like a better rhythm would have made the transitions a little smoother for me. There was a long period near the beginning where I was wondering why I wasn't reading through the protagonist's point of view before it finally switched back over and it threw me off.
Overall, I was quite happy and satisfied with the end because I thought it was ending but it really wasn't. I kept checking to see how much I had left till the end because I didn't want to finish it. I ended up staying up past midnight because I wanted to know how everything would end. It summed up all the major plot lines and threads nicely. I do think that the conclusion was mostly satisfying but I did have a few questions about some of the minor loose ends. However, if there is a sequel I can see these threads being solved in it. The way the story ended had set it up so that there could be a sequel and I'm interested to seeing what new problems the characters will run into for the future.
I really enjoyed the story! I was a bit unsure at first since I thought it might be a political war game but it had a lot more action and adventure than I thought and I loved that. It started off good but got even better once I was two thirds in the book. If you like super powers/magic, character development, and reading on the edge of your seat then I highly recommend this book to you!
3.7 out of 5 rating for me!
(An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.)
Click for my full review: http://originiquequanimity.blogspot.c...
It's fascinating the different types of "shays" or special abilities in the world that the author chose to use in her story. I believe accuracy and perception are two unique additions that I have not seen often in stories with special abilities. I especially enjoyed the tournament and the different trials the characters had to go through. It was a fantastic set up to the characters and the story. Each trial was intriguing and I realized I kept trying to guess which characters would get which shay. That was fun.
A minor issue I had with the book was the point of views. I know I only read an ARC but I thought it would be solely from Nolan's point of view since he is the protagonist but I found myself reading through a few other character's point of view. I don't have a problem with reading from another character's view point but I did find it a bit jarring jumping from one character to another after a long period with a specific character. I feel like a better rhythm would have made the transitions a little smoother for me. There was a long period near the beginning where I was wondering why I wasn't reading through the protagonist's point of view before it finally switched back over and it threw me off.
Overall, I was quite happy and satisfied with the end because I thought it was ending but it really wasn't. I kept checking to see how much I had left till the end because I didn't want to finish it. I ended up staying up past midnight because I wanted to know how everything would end. It summed up all the major plot lines and threads nicely. I do think that the conclusion was mostly satisfying but I did have a few questions about some of the minor loose ends. However, if there is a sequel I can see these threads being solved in it. The way the story ended had set it up so that there could be a sequel and I'm interested to seeing what new problems the characters will run into for the future.
I really enjoyed the story! I was a bit unsure at first since I thought it might be a political war game but it had a lot more action and adventure than I thought and I loved that. It started off good but got even better once I was two thirds in the book. If you like super powers/magic, character development, and reading on the edge of your seat then I highly recommend this book to you!
3.7 out of 5 rating for me!
(An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way.)
Click for my full review: http://originiquequanimity.blogspot.c...
September 24, 2017
I'd give this 3.5
I really, really like the story, and no joke, I love it... but the conversations between the characters, it felt so robotic. Oh there's emotion, but it bordered overly dramatic. It's like, I'm so excited because of the fight scenes, I can't sit still because I want the next chapter immediately, and when all is done, they talk to each other and I'm like *face palm*...
It was more prominent at the ending... I was laughing my ass off. There was this part where Nolan said, … and I'm like 'I need a bigger hand' *lol*
Even now, just remembering how dramatic those conversations were... I can't help but cringe and laugh.
That's why 3.5... I love the story, and although the conversations were cringe worthy, I still liked it (I just won't reread those conversations xD. The story yes, convos, no).
I really, really like the story, and no joke, I love it... but the conversations between the characters, it felt so robotic. Oh there's emotion, but it bordered overly dramatic. It's like, I'm so excited because of the fight scenes, I can't sit still because I want the next chapter immediately, and when all is done, they talk to each other and I'm like *face palm*...
It was more prominent at the ending... I was laughing my ass off. There was this part where Nolan said, … and I'm like 'I need a bigger hand' *lol*
Even now, just remembering how dramatic those conversations were... I can't help but cringe and laugh.
That's why 3.5... I love the story, and although the conversations were cringe worthy, I still liked it (I just won't reread those conversations xD. The story yes, convos, no).
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