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Rancor Chronicles #1
Rancour
As a high school senior, Alix is worried sick about finding a date for the prom. It's a big deal, but soon Alix will find herself caught up in something that makes the prom pale in comparison: a thousand-year rivalry between a werewolf and a vampire. For the past millennium, Rancour has dedicated himself to ridding the world of vampires, while Shay has kept busy thwarting Rancour's efforts. Despite fighting for years, these combatants are on the verge of becoming comrades -- both have an enemy stalking them, and he's doing so backwards through time. James McCann's unlikely love story integrates maps and striking illustrations into the plot, and packs scares and laughs for even the most reluctant reader.
Author is available for school visits.
Author is available for school visits.
237 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2005
1 person is currently reading
About the author
James Alfred McCann
7 books25 followersI am the author of Rancour and Pyre (now out of print) with Simply Read Books, Flying Feet with Orca Book Publishers, and Children of Ruin with Iron Mask Press (formerly Rise of the One-Eyed King).
My next book, A Spartan at Sea, (a sequel to The Three Spartans, Crwth 2019) will be published by Crwth Press for middle grade readers, Spring, 2021.
I have written book reviews for the Canadian Children’s Book News and have taught countless workshops for schools, school divisions, libraries, University of British Columbia, BCLA, BCTELA, Writer’s Union, BC Writer’s Federation, Canadian Authors Association, Surrey International Writers Conference, BC Raise a Reader, and many after school programs. From 2006 – 2009 I was the president of CWILL BC.
Most of my time is spent writing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or practicing the ukulele.
My next book, A Spartan at Sea, (a sequel to The Three Spartans, Crwth 2019) will be published by Crwth Press for middle grade readers, Spring, 2021.
I have written book reviews for the Canadian Children’s Book News and have taught countless workshops for schools, school divisions, libraries, University of British Columbia, BCLA, BCTELA, Writer’s Union, BC Writer’s Federation, Canadian Authors Association, Surrey International Writers Conference, BC Raise a Reader, and many after school programs. From 2006 – 2009 I was the president of CWILL BC.
Most of my time is spent writing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, or practicing the ukulele.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 31, 2019
Born in the year 998, Rancour, son of Faolchú, belonged to a clan of shape-shifters that humans came to know as werewolves, but was raised by the bloodthirsty Alsandair, a nomadic tribe that slaughtered his people. Eventually rebelling against the pointless violence of his adoptive kin, Rancour left the Alsandair to find his own path in life... But he soon found himself a target of a rogue vampire named Shay, himself a rebel against the meaningless hedonism of his kind. Deciding to give meaning to his life by systematically destroying another being, Shay sets out to ruin his victim’s life, and sets in motion the thousand-year feud between the two immortals. Flashbacks to this earlier period are mingled with contemporary scenes, in which Rancour (now Rellick) and Shay both descend on the small town of Minitaw, Rancour to find his reincarnated love, high-school student Alix, and Shay to thwart him once again...
This young adult thriller never strays far from the formulaic plot common to many such books, and although the unhappy ending comes as a surprise, the wooden narration robs it of any emotional impact and gives it a sense of anti-climax. The teen conflicts never seem quite real, nor is the over-arching plot-line particularly involving. The initial excitement of finding a fantasy novel written by a children’s bookseller soon gave way to irritation in this reviewer, not only at the wooden characterization and plotting, but at the author’s poor writing style. This last manifests itself more than twice a page, with odd word choices and sentence structure: "Why they’d placed it behind the cash register never seemed absurd until now;" and incongruous descriptions: can thoughts settle "upon the constellations like dew upon grass"?
This young adult thriller never strays far from the formulaic plot common to many such books, and although the unhappy ending comes as a surprise, the wooden narration robs it of any emotional impact and gives it a sense of anti-climax. The teen conflicts never seem quite real, nor is the over-arching plot-line particularly involving. The initial excitement of finding a fantasy novel written by a children’s bookseller soon gave way to irritation in this reviewer, not only at the wooden characterization and plotting, but at the author’s poor writing style. This last manifests itself more than twice a page, with odd word choices and sentence structure: "Why they’d placed it behind the cash register never seemed absurd until now;" and incongruous descriptions: can thoughts settle "upon the constellations like dew upon grass"?
August 6, 2017
picked this off the shelf in the library back when I was small. it was the first book that got me to fall in love with reading.
this tale of revenge, love, hate, and time had me wanting to throw my book or had me turning page after page.
this tale of revenge, love, hate, and time had me wanting to throw my book or had me turning page after page.
September 26, 2011
To me this book was beautiful in the journey that Rancour,or Rellick is on. He has been on this journey for 1000 years, so his insight to good and evil are profound. He has a deep love for Alix that is selfless and sacrificial, he is a man of honor. I loved the flashback scenes the best and the journal entries from Rellick, it made him honest and easy to admire. Though it is sad at the end it makes sense. This one left me still thinking about it.
May 23, 2009
such a cute story! it made me ball my eyes out. almost as sad as new moon was. ALMOST.
February 28, 2013
This was a beautiful book that made me finish in tears. It makes you feel really… accepted at the end.
June 11, 2013
the ending made me cry :(
April 25, 2024
3.5 Stars. Okay this was a beautiful story. I really loved the plot. But there are a few things I would change about the plot itself. I get what was meant to happen in the last few chapters but in my opinion, it was too fast paced and a longer book would've let it reach a proper climax. I wish there was more time for Alix to get to know Rancor and figure out things about him by herself before giving in to what she said her heart felt.
Overall I actually loved the story, I just don't like how it was executed. I think this plot would have crazy potential if it was a rewritten standalone with more in depth characters and backstory, so we can learn more about the world and Rancor, and also just more of Alix taking control. I would definitely read that version.
Overall I actually loved the story, I just don't like how it was executed. I think this plot would have crazy potential if it was a rewritten standalone with more in depth characters and backstory, so we can learn more about the world and Rancor, and also just more of Alix taking control. I would definitely read that version.
February 22, 2008
This book for me was an interesting mixture of the vampire diarys and twilight. It was scary at times, and romantic at others. I guess you just have to finish it to realize how beautiful it really can be.
May 12, 2009
Definatly odd,but i liked it especially thae bit about how vampires dont come out at daytime because they're too tierd from partying all night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2011
it was pretty good... better than i thought it would be. it made me think about some things, i kind of liked the ending. an ok book... twilight lovers might like it :P
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May 29, 2013can I tell you a secret.... i didn´t read it..
June 27, 2014
This third edition has many changes in the story from the first and second editions. A new publisher and new editors helped craft a much better book.
January 25, 2015
Terribly written, just plainly awful story. Beige and vacant.
April 8, 2015
Littered with grammatical errors, cliché characters, abrupt changes in point of view and terrible dialogue.
April 23, 2016
Found a few grammatical errors, and I wish the book had have been longer in order to reach the climax properly and not have such a rushed ending!
July 17, 2011
cant believe he died.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews