Daniel Varona's Blog - Posts Tagged "rating"
Review from Midwest Book Review by D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer
The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution is a fantasy space opera that introduces the "young revolution" of Eden, a world based on rebirth, where the living are caught in an ongoing struggle between darkness and light which never seems to resolve.
Wars decide how Eden will be reborn in a new cycle, and this current situation isn't any different. Daniel Varona provides the insights and introduction to this scenario which are essential for understanding the impact of Eden's patterns and why things are different now.
New potential lies in this cycle's latest prophesied hero, Seth, who finds himself alone in a world sinking once more into darkness.
Varona is skilled at capturing a "you are here" feel of the atmosphere: "The mounted cannon ejected the harpoon with a metallic sting, ringing for a few seconds. The depth of the giant spear was tracked by the number of clicks the metal wire sounded off, like a machine gun. The connection suddenly halted and seized its tightening grip on whatever it hit. A full second later, a deep and mournful roar erupted from the gloomy blue, causing a shockwave to rattle the once calm waters."
As Seth's purposes merge with those of Valentina (who is fighting against forces that would make slaves of her people) and other characters, a conjoined mission of disparate individuals evolves. Each, in their different way, becomes a force for promoting the Age of Light against the darkness Eden seems destined to fall into.
The pace and action are fast, the characters many, and the intricacies of Eden's political, social, and psychological influences are intriguing. Readers can expect a fantasy that works on both an entertaining leisure read world-building manner, and one which injects a degree of complexity into the changing scenarios of Eden and those who struggle through its cycles of promise and failure.
The dialogue between characters as they fight and confront myriad forces is also very nicely done:
“Damn, girl! I ain’t seen a chick move like that before! Now how may I repay ya?” greeted the reckless man in a far-too-friendly manner.
Valentina aimed a fist at him. “Shut it before I shut it for you. You’re not the first man I’ve saved.”
Fans of space opera and world-building fantasies will find this first book in the series compelling, concluding with a powerful vision of world-changing gods and attempts to free Eden from its curse that conclude in a cliffhanger for future books to explore.
Libraries seeking vivid, complex world-building fantasies will find The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution a compelling tale worthy of acquisition.
Review by Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.
Daniel Varona The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution
Wars decide how Eden will be reborn in a new cycle, and this current situation isn't any different. Daniel Varona provides the insights and introduction to this scenario which are essential for understanding the impact of Eden's patterns and why things are different now.
New potential lies in this cycle's latest prophesied hero, Seth, who finds himself alone in a world sinking once more into darkness.
Varona is skilled at capturing a "you are here" feel of the atmosphere: "The mounted cannon ejected the harpoon with a metallic sting, ringing for a few seconds. The depth of the giant spear was tracked by the number of clicks the metal wire sounded off, like a machine gun. The connection suddenly halted and seized its tightening grip on whatever it hit. A full second later, a deep and mournful roar erupted from the gloomy blue, causing a shockwave to rattle the once calm waters."
As Seth's purposes merge with those of Valentina (who is fighting against forces that would make slaves of her people) and other characters, a conjoined mission of disparate individuals evolves. Each, in their different way, becomes a force for promoting the Age of Light against the darkness Eden seems destined to fall into.
The pace and action are fast, the characters many, and the intricacies of Eden's political, social, and psychological influences are intriguing. Readers can expect a fantasy that works on both an entertaining leisure read world-building manner, and one which injects a degree of complexity into the changing scenarios of Eden and those who struggle through its cycles of promise and failure.
The dialogue between characters as they fight and confront myriad forces is also very nicely done:
“Damn, girl! I ain’t seen a chick move like that before! Now how may I repay ya?” greeted the reckless man in a far-too-friendly manner.
Valentina aimed a fist at him. “Shut it before I shut it for you. You’re not the first man I’ve saved.”
Fans of space opera and world-building fantasies will find this first book in the series compelling, concluding with a powerful vision of world-changing gods and attempts to free Eden from its curse that conclude in a cliffhanger for future books to explore.
Libraries seeking vivid, complex world-building fantasies will find The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution a compelling tale worthy of acquisition.
Review by Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.
Daniel Varona The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution
"A rollicking, otherworldly tale that’s only just getting started." — Kirkus Reviews
"A young warrior battles sinister forces in a world besieged by darkness in Varona’s fantasy debut and series launch."
"Lady Eve was once a queen in her utopian world of Eden. But evil has corrupted the Age of Light, and Eve now leads the Reclaimers in fighting to bring that Light back. A prophetic dream shows her that her youngest son, Seth, is the Chosen One who will ultimately triumph over the darkness. Eve trains him for combat, but a sudden attack at the Reclaimers’ base leaves most of them dead, and the boy is left alone. Six years later, Seth wanders the landscape with his trusty dog, Chase. He resolves to avenge his mother and all who’ve suffered, starting with taking out a diabolical group called the Hand of Sin. This pits him against the likes of Gomorrah, the Gluttonous King of Sodom, along with any number of deadly creatures and lethal mechanical beings. Luckily, he gathers allies along the way, including the skilled warrior Valentina and Ryder, who leads a band of “messengers” on their “speedy vehicles,” which resemble motorcycles. The author delivers an epic series opener reminiscent of the video games that served as his inspiration: Seth drinks a rejuvenating elixir; embarks on a side quest (winning a race to get a ride to the kingdom of Babylonia); and goes head-to-head with boss-level baddies like Gomorrah. The heroes engage in copious exhilarating action scenes as they battle ghouls, monsters sporting large “bone-like spikes,” and seriously depraved villains. Despite all of these evils, the story often feels lighthearted. Chase regularly converses with Seth; the text translates his barks (which Seth understands). The prose includes contemporary-sounding dialogue, breezy similes (a tremor shakes barracks “like a plucked guitar string”), and one-liners. The explosive final act ends on a stellar cliffhanger that will leave readers craving a sequel."
"A rollicking, otherworldly tale that’s only just getting started." — Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Daniel Varona
The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution
"Lady Eve was once a queen in her utopian world of Eden. But evil has corrupted the Age of Light, and Eve now leads the Reclaimers in fighting to bring that Light back. A prophetic dream shows her that her youngest son, Seth, is the Chosen One who will ultimately triumph over the darkness. Eve trains him for combat, but a sudden attack at the Reclaimers’ base leaves most of them dead, and the boy is left alone. Six years later, Seth wanders the landscape with his trusty dog, Chase. He resolves to avenge his mother and all who’ve suffered, starting with taking out a diabolical group called the Hand of Sin. This pits him against the likes of Gomorrah, the Gluttonous King of Sodom, along with any number of deadly creatures and lethal mechanical beings. Luckily, he gathers allies along the way, including the skilled warrior Valentina and Ryder, who leads a band of “messengers” on their “speedy vehicles,” which resemble motorcycles. The author delivers an epic series opener reminiscent of the video games that served as his inspiration: Seth drinks a rejuvenating elixir; embarks on a side quest (winning a race to get a ride to the kingdom of Babylonia); and goes head-to-head with boss-level baddies like Gomorrah. The heroes engage in copious exhilarating action scenes as they battle ghouls, monsters sporting large “bone-like spikes,” and seriously depraved villains. Despite all of these evils, the story often feels lighthearted. Chase regularly converses with Seth; the text translates his barks (which Seth understands). The prose includes contemporary-sounding dialogue, breezy similes (a tremor shakes barracks “like a plucked guitar string”), and one-liners. The explosive final act ends on a stellar cliffhanger that will leave readers craving a sequel."
"A rollicking, otherworldly tale that’s only just getting started." — Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Daniel Varona
The Cycle of Eden: The Young Revolution
