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The Devenshire Chronicles #1
The Stones of Andarus
The Stones of Andarus are three ancient stones said to contain a fragment of the power of creation twisted with the dark soul of a crazed sorcerer. When a demented Master Mage intends to unleash the unholy power of these ancient artifacts, it will fall to five unlikely heroes to stop him. The battle for the fate of the realm has only just begun...
Legend has it that a demented sorcerer named Andarus sought to harness the power of creation…to bend it to his will. He searched throughout the realm for mystical vessels that could contain such unfathomable power and The Stones of Andarus were created. The Stones are said to contain a fragment of the power of creation along with the dark, twisted soul of the sorcerer Andarus.
On this account, the legends are true.
The fate of The Stones through history is not known. Some say that, despite their awesome power, they were destroyed long ago. Others claim they were divided and hidden away in the far corners of the land. Yet others believe the sinister power of the Stones has faded over the great span of time since their creation, and can never be a threat again. Then there are those who say the tale of the Stones is nothing but pure fantasy.
On this account, the legends are dead wrong.
Xavier, an unstable and evil Master Mage, has spent his life perfecting his mastery of not only the Mystical Arts, but the forbidden magic of the Dark Mystics. Now, at the peak of his sinister power, he has the Stones of Andarus and intends to not only unleash their unholy power, but attempt to control it.
Such power, twisted by the crazed essence of a mad man, can never be controlled and dared not be unleashed, but Xavier believes he has the power and the skill to accomplish the impossible.
Enter Daimion Devenshire, a mysterious loner with seductive charms, dark secrets and deep scars. He is a minor mage of the Mystical Arts, but there is a power within him that not even he is aware of...at least not yet. When he learns that Xavier has the Stones, he knows that the mad man has to be stopped or the entire realm could be forever altered if not destroyed.
Joining him on his desperate quest are The Lady Brianna Standish, seductively beautiful and fiercely independent. She is a woman who lives her life on her terms, much to the chagrin of medieval society. Raven Darkseed is a rouge Adept Mage of the Mystical Arts and the closest thing to a best friend to Devenshire. Shantira Dubris is a young village woman set on vengeance and torn by the storm of emotions and sensations that Devenshrie stirs within her. Zandorth Krahl is a warrior of the Ancient Class, a vanishing breed of men who value honor and integrity above all else.
From the beginning, Devenshire and company are pursued…by both friend and foe. Darius Thieberian, a vampire with special designs on Brianna, stalks the group with motives as dark as the night he lives in. Rachelle Tambrey, a unique vampire with an unexplainable interest in Devenshire, follows as well. Add a compliment of the King’s Royal Guards who have been convinced that Devenshire is a vampire by an ex-vampire hunter turned bandit, and the group’s efforts to save the realm are thwarted at every turn.
Through trials and tribulations, deceptions and betrayals this group of unlikely heroes must face many obstacles in their epic quest to stop Xavier, including an opponent fiercer than any they have ever faced…the demons within themselves.
The battle for the fate of the realm has only just begun...
Legend has it that a demented sorcerer named Andarus sought to harness the power of creation…to bend it to his will. He searched throughout the realm for mystical vessels that could contain such unfathomable power and The Stones of Andarus were created. The Stones are said to contain a fragment of the power of creation along with the dark, twisted soul of the sorcerer Andarus.
On this account, the legends are true.
The fate of The Stones through history is not known. Some say that, despite their awesome power, they were destroyed long ago. Others claim they were divided and hidden away in the far corners of the land. Yet others believe the sinister power of the Stones has faded over the great span of time since their creation, and can never be a threat again. Then there are those who say the tale of the Stones is nothing but pure fantasy.
On this account, the legends are dead wrong.
Xavier, an unstable and evil Master Mage, has spent his life perfecting his mastery of not only the Mystical Arts, but the forbidden magic of the Dark Mystics. Now, at the peak of his sinister power, he has the Stones of Andarus and intends to not only unleash their unholy power, but attempt to control it.
Such power, twisted by the crazed essence of a mad man, can never be controlled and dared not be unleashed, but Xavier believes he has the power and the skill to accomplish the impossible.
Enter Daimion Devenshire, a mysterious loner with seductive charms, dark secrets and deep scars. He is a minor mage of the Mystical Arts, but there is a power within him that not even he is aware of...at least not yet. When he learns that Xavier has the Stones, he knows that the mad man has to be stopped or the entire realm could be forever altered if not destroyed.
Joining him on his desperate quest are The Lady Brianna Standish, seductively beautiful and fiercely independent. She is a woman who lives her life on her terms, much to the chagrin of medieval society. Raven Darkseed is a rouge Adept Mage of the Mystical Arts and the closest thing to a best friend to Devenshire. Shantira Dubris is a young village woman set on vengeance and torn by the storm of emotions and sensations that Devenshrie stirs within her. Zandorth Krahl is a warrior of the Ancient Class, a vanishing breed of men who value honor and integrity above all else.
From the beginning, Devenshire and company are pursued…by both friend and foe. Darius Thieberian, a vampire with special designs on Brianna, stalks the group with motives as dark as the night he lives in. Rachelle Tambrey, a unique vampire with an unexplainable interest in Devenshire, follows as well. Add a compliment of the King’s Royal Guards who have been convinced that Devenshire is a vampire by an ex-vampire hunter turned bandit, and the group’s efforts to save the realm are thwarted at every turn.
Through trials and tribulations, deceptions and betrayals this group of unlikely heroes must face many obstacles in their epic quest to stop Xavier, including an opponent fiercer than any they have ever faced…the demons within themselves.
The battle for the fate of the realm has only just begun...
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
474 pages, ebook
First published October 20, 2012
6 people are currently reading
1411 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 18, 2014
I’ve been reading this book for some time now – I’ve been reading it 5 pages at a time or so for weeks.
Pick it up here and pick my way through some bits of story, pick it up there and hide away in another world from my own life. My own life hasn’t been going exactly as planned and sometimes I need a break from watching plans go sideways.
Every time I bury my head in his fiction, I dive in knowing a review awaits me at the other end and I’ve been trying to decide what to say about it – how to say what I’m thinking.
I’m thinking it would make the most fascinating meta-fiction television mini-series. One in which we are introduced to our characters and the story by Tom Sechrist himself. And during that introduction we flash back and forth between the story Sechrist is telling and the story he is living. Remember The Princess Bride?
Yes, like that, except Sechrist isn’t that kind of funny.
Instead, Sechrist writes a rich high fantasy tale somewhere between Tolkien and Rothfuss. He’s old timey language and lengthy descriptions. He’s lords and ladies, warriors and… vampires.
And in it all, there’s a note from the author at the end about important dates in his life. This note reminds you of what you already know when you’re reading about Daimion Devenshire’s adventures: The Devenshire Chronicles are Sechrist’s magnum opus. He has poured his heart and soul into every word… and just as every quest has many footsteps, the telling has as many words.
Read more reviews at http://anakalianwhims.wordpress.com/
Pick it up here and pick my way through some bits of story, pick it up there and hide away in another world from my own life. My own life hasn’t been going exactly as planned and sometimes I need a break from watching plans go sideways.
Every time I bury my head in his fiction, I dive in knowing a review awaits me at the other end and I’ve been trying to decide what to say about it – how to say what I’m thinking.
I’m thinking it would make the most fascinating meta-fiction television mini-series. One in which we are introduced to our characters and the story by Tom Sechrist himself. And during that introduction we flash back and forth between the story Sechrist is telling and the story he is living. Remember The Princess Bride?
Yes, like that, except Sechrist isn’t that kind of funny.
Instead, Sechrist writes a rich high fantasy tale somewhere between Tolkien and Rothfuss. He’s old timey language and lengthy descriptions. He’s lords and ladies, warriors and… vampires.
And in it all, there’s a note from the author at the end about important dates in his life. This note reminds you of what you already know when you’re reading about Daimion Devenshire’s adventures: The Devenshire Chronicles are Sechrist’s magnum opus. He has poured his heart and soul into every word… and just as every quest has many footsteps, the telling has as many words.
Read more reviews at http://anakalianwhims.wordpress.com/
August 15, 2014
Mr. Sechrist has written a story that draws you in from the very beginning. The anguish of being frozen is so well portrayed I think he must have some experience. I love that the story is framed so well with a story outside of the story. What I wasn't so happy to learn was that the inner story is split between this and the next book. I don't know if there is a third. The reader is told what the journey entails and then the journey's story is cut. Again, I do like how it was done with the frame of another story that seems just as interesting as the inner one. And I understand why it was done - because this would have been a really long book otherwise. So it's okay.
The language is old-school as is proper for a middle-ages time period.
One important thing to know is that Mr. Sechrist is such an excellent writer you will LOVE the book. The fight scenes are so well choreographed, I think the author must have been a fencer at some point in his life. I was married to a fencer (whose father was a professional choreographer) many moons ago, so watched match after endless match at that time. These fight scenes are very well done. Bravo. The other important thing to know is that Mr. Sechrist draws his characters well. Each character had a life, and has a life, so that the reader learns so much about them they could be neighbors, or family members. Even the vampires are fascinating.
This is a verified Amazon purchase.
The language is old-school as is proper for a middle-ages time period.
One important thing to know is that Mr. Sechrist is such an excellent writer you will LOVE the book. The fight scenes are so well choreographed, I think the author must have been a fencer at some point in his life. I was married to a fencer (whose father was a professional choreographer) many moons ago, so watched match after endless match at that time. These fight scenes are very well done. Bravo. The other important thing to know is that Mr. Sechrist draws his characters well. Each character had a life, and has a life, so that the reader learns so much about them they could be neighbors, or family members. Even the vampires are fascinating.
This is a verified Amazon purchase.
May 28, 2014
Great characters, detail, and storyline! I love it!
December 24, 2019
Sloppy sloppy writing. I put up with the small amounts of exposition/information drops in the opening scene, just to see where the story was going. Then we get to the meat of the story from the viewpoint of the first female protagonist, Shantira, and get expositions about the scantiness of her clothes and how that related to the fight scene, and then a whole description of how a middle aged male author thinks a young woman would address her budding sexuality. The hero arrives, and oh, isn't he so dreamy! Let's describe his dreamy outfit in detail!
I couldn't get get past the Tavern scene, where Shantira meets her friend, female protagonist #2, Brianna, and in the course of the simple action of walking over to Brianna's table... drops two pages about Brianna's parentage, the political system of the land, the King's edicts about first born heirs, female rights, the second female protagonists great beauty, style of dress ... and then Shantira finally sits down. We get to hear about every brainless swooning thought in Shantira's head.
It's like the author is well versed in feminism as a theory, but can't help but talking about this independent, strong, free thinking, well practiced in battle, heroine's firm young breasts at every opportunity.
I couldn't get get past the Tavern scene, where Shantira meets her friend, female protagonist #2, Brianna, and in the course of the simple action of walking over to Brianna's table... drops two pages about Brianna's parentage, the political system of the land, the King's edicts about first born heirs, female rights, the second female protagonists great beauty, style of dress ... and then Shantira finally sits down. We get to hear about every brainless swooning thought in Shantira's head.
It's like the author is well versed in feminism as a theory, but can't help but talking about this independent, strong, free thinking, well practiced in battle, heroine's firm young breasts at every opportunity.
April 3, 2015
This book was a great read!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews