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Majat Code #0.5
The Majat Testing
As a Keeper in training, Egey Bashi makes it his priority to discover hidden talents and help people fully realize their abilities. But when he rescues a boy from certain death, he find himself out of his league. The boy has a Majat-level talent for weapons. The Keepers send for a Diamond Majat to test him, and on arrival, Egey Bashi is thrown into events where his own resolve to be a Keeper will be sorely tested.
"The Majat Testing" is a 7,000-word story set in the world of the Majat Code, a distant prequel to Anna Kashina's "Blades of the Old Empire".
"The Majat Testing" is a 7,000-word story set in the world of the Majat Code, a distant prequel to Anna Kashina's "Blades of the Old Empire".
- GenresFantasyShort Stories
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2014
8 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Anna Kashina
21 books158 followersAnna Kashina is a critically acclaimed award-winning author of “The Majat Code” series, featuring adventure, swordplay, intrigue, and romance in a historical fantasy setting. She is the author of the official novelization of Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, a bestselling video game by Nihon Falcom Co.
Awards: 2015 Prism Award (Fantasy, and "Best of the Best" grand prize), Locus Award Nominee, 2013 ForeWord Book of the Year (IndieFab) Award, 2014 Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY).
Awards: 2015 Prism Award (Fantasy, and "Best of the Best" grand prize), Locus Award Nominee, 2013 ForeWord Book of the Year (IndieFab) Award, 2014 Independent Publishers Book Award (IPPY).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 20, 2016
Gives a behind-the-story look at one of the side players. Interesting but not a must-read.
May 25, 2014
This book originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
The Majat Testing is a short story set in the same world as Kashina’s recent novel Blades of the Old Empire. When I read the novel, I was unimpressed because I felt like it needed more work before publication, but I genuinely enjoyed Kashina’s writing and wanted to read more of her work. When I saw that there was a short story prequel on Amazon, I decided to give it a chance.
Unlike Blades of the Old Empire, The Majat Testing didn’t assume that readers were already intimately familiar with the setting. Instead, it described a brief affair between two individuals forbidden by the codes of their professions to form lasting bonds with other people. Egey Bashi is a Keeper, which is sort of like a scientist/wizard/monk. He rescues a young boy named Mik from an almost certain death, and realizes that he shows great promise based on his skill with weapons. He sends for someone from the Majat Guild, a society of highly trained ninjas/warriors who are renowned assassins, and they agree to send a representative to test the boy. Egey Bashi wasn’t expecting Arin, a Diamond Majat who is as sexy as she is dangerous.
The Majat Testing combines fantasy, action, and romance. It isn’t a long story and instead simply describes a moment of pleasure shared between two unlikely individuals who have chosen to sacrifice their personal lives to be part of elite professions. I enjoyed it far more than I did Blades of the Old Empire, and it was nice to get a bit of insight into Egey Bashi’s backstory.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
The Majat Testing is a short story set in the same world as Kashina’s recent novel Blades of the Old Empire. When I read the novel, I was unimpressed because I felt like it needed more work before publication, but I genuinely enjoyed Kashina’s writing and wanted to read more of her work. When I saw that there was a short story prequel on Amazon, I decided to give it a chance.
Unlike Blades of the Old Empire, The Majat Testing didn’t assume that readers were already intimately familiar with the setting. Instead, it described a brief affair between two individuals forbidden by the codes of their professions to form lasting bonds with other people. Egey Bashi is a Keeper, which is sort of like a scientist/wizard/monk. He rescues a young boy named Mik from an almost certain death, and realizes that he shows great promise based on his skill with weapons. He sends for someone from the Majat Guild, a society of highly trained ninjas/warriors who are renowned assassins, and they agree to send a representative to test the boy. Egey Bashi wasn’t expecting Arin, a Diamond Majat who is as sexy as she is dangerous.
The Majat Testing combines fantasy, action, and romance. It isn’t a long story and instead simply describes a moment of pleasure shared between two unlikely individuals who have chosen to sacrifice their personal lives to be part of elite professions. I enjoyed it far more than I did Blades of the Old Empire, and it was nice to get a bit of insight into Egey Bashi’s backstory.
October 30, 2014
A short story about a man who has found a potential pupil for a guild of warriors, the pupil and the female warrior sent to test the pupil. I find testing scenarios to be the most fun, and so was prepared to like this story. However, it didn't do anything. The pupil didn't want to talk, the man and the woman only wanted sex and the mysterious incident behind the pupil's silence was stupid.
More of this? No way.
More of this? No way.
February 10, 2016
A new-to-me author and a very tight, excellent prequel novella that introduced me to a new world. The worldbuilding is deft and compelling, the romance alluring. I wanted more on-screen sex, but then I always do. :-) I moved straight on to reading book 1 in the trilogy!
January 1, 2017
An introduction to the Majat Code world. Egey Bashi rescues Mik. It turns out that Mik has a talent with weapons. Aghat Arin is sent to test/teach him. Interesting, but a bit dry for my taste.
March 9, 2025
Um, I kind of feel like I'm not sure what I just read?! It had elements that were interesting... I can see now that it's kind of a prequel of some sort. Anyway, it was a short story that wasn't bad.
January 11, 2017
This fantasy short introduces readers to a new series, The Majat Code, which, on the basis of the writing here, I may very well explore further.
For a short piece, this book develops the characters well and presents an imagined world in surprising detail, without boring the reader with unnecessarily lengthy descriptions. The story involves an initiate of twelve years undergoing a test to join a martial organisation. But the main tale turns around the attraction of the boy’s minder for the female examiner who arrives to carry out the test.
The interaction here is played out exquisitely, with the reasons for the man’s attractions made clear and the dangers of such a relationship undisguised. There is a strongly erotic element to the narrative, but the result of this is left at the bedroom door for the reader to imagine. It is very well done.
Although this is fantasy, the characters are, whilst being unusual, credible and well drawn; the reader wants to know more about them. It’s a short, introductory story, but one that draws the reader into the invented world and leaves a definite longing for more.
For a short piece, this book develops the characters well and presents an imagined world in surprising detail, without boring the reader with unnecessarily lengthy descriptions. The story involves an initiate of twelve years undergoing a test to join a martial organisation. But the main tale turns around the attraction of the boy’s minder for the female examiner who arrives to carry out the test.
The interaction here is played out exquisitely, with the reasons for the man’s attractions made clear and the dangers of such a relationship undisguised. There is a strongly erotic element to the narrative, but the result of this is left at the bedroom door for the reader to imagine. It is very well done.
Although this is fantasy, the characters are, whilst being unusual, credible and well drawn; the reader wants to know more about them. It’s a short, introductory story, but one that draws the reader into the invented world and leaves a definite longing for more.
March 6, 2014
I read this story in one sitting, couldn't stop at all from the very first page. This is a great introduction to the Majat Code series (which I am a fan of) for a new reader. It has everything: action, romance, a glimpse into the Majat customs and training, as well as additional information about the mysterious Order of Keepers. It features Egey Bashi, one of the major characters in Anna Kashina's "Blades of the Old Empire", and shows some interesting twists to his character we don't see in the book. I highly recommend this story, and hope to see some of its characters in Anna Kashina's future writing.
February 8, 2017
Oh! so fun!
I love this author, and have bought all of her work to date. Short of perfection, but, oh so very good! Excellent world building.
I love this author, and have bought all of her work to date. Short of perfection, but, oh so very good! Excellent world building.
April 18, 2014
This was very short and while it was a nice little short story about Egey Bashi, there was not a lot if useful information.
Read
July 12, 2014Nice little story, only a few pages. Gave me the incentive to read the Majat code series.
December 7, 2014
I wanted this to be so much longer than it was!
May 6, 2016
A *way* too short introduction to the world of the Majat world.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews