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A Summary of Awakenings
Fuming with rage and bitterness six friends band together to avenge the destruction of a small human settlement. Through sheer determination and stoic resolve they succeed, though at what cost? Because of their actions, one of them will fall to the enemy and Velthanjantle, the demonic avatar of Kargonis is resurrected. Though weak, the demon breaks free to reign havoc once again upon the world. Fifteen years later, the demon is fully healed and searching for the mysterious Three Chains of Gold; three relics from the War of the Gods which when united will bring about new balance among the Greater Realms. If Velthanjantle is able to find the chains the dark god could be free once more to walk among mortals and foil the decree set in place at the culmination of the War of the Gods by Ravina Estarra, the Goddess of Time. It falls on those who released the demon to gather their forces and train their armies and guilds to stop the end of the world. Together or separated, six mortals must set in motion the events necessary to save Reality from ultimate doom. From demonic plots and greedy dragons to hardened assassins and pious priests, the demon Velthanjantle quickly becomes the least of their problems.
-Source: www.racialwar.net
Review:
Awakenings, the racial war saga begins in the best way to pull a reader in – in the midst of the action. From page one, you are pulled into a world about to be ravaged by evil and deceit. In an instant, you become a part of Eldorion (a high elf, and assasin) , Bargiss (pureblood human), Kinek’Aras (Jungle Drake/Juralisk) , Princess Fairtide (deep ocean Merloch) , Raek (a Val’Arias fialt) and Felissa’s ( a frost dwarf) plight and story. From the moment the demon is released, these six friends’ loyalties to each other are challenged – and chapter one begins fifteen years later – where they are all living very separate lives.
Bargiss is now a head master of a school for spellweavers, mortals who are able to weave magic from the Rainbow Braid, the centre of Reality. He and his students are celebrating Bargiss’ 15 year anniversary and their graduation when one of them (Belthas’Almon, Prince of the Fire Drakes) betrays the school; striking a deal with demonic forces and stages a massacre. This brings the characters back together and sets them in motion for an epic battle that uncovers betrayal after betrayal. Each character must struggle with the part they play in a war that has been raging since the gods of this world set it in motion. Friends are lost, and beliefs shattered as a fight for a world on the edge of a new age is played out in AJ O’Connell’s “Awakenings, the racial war saga”.
AJ O’Connell creates a much enriched world with amazingly developed characters in this book. The depth and intensity of these characters, and new races, I found a little overwhelming when I first started reading it. However, once I found myself understanding who the characters were, and the type of race they were within this world, it was very easy to sit back and immerse myself in their stories. The battles are brutal, and it was sad to see some of my favourite characters fall – but their deaths were not in vain – and the story weaved itself into a intricate tapestry – much like the all important Braid of the book. This book may not be for everyone – but –what book is? All in all, AJ O’Connell’s first part of the Racial war saga ‘Awakenings’ is intriguing and intense, and a must for those who love epic war stories and fight for survival books.
Also check out www.racialwar.net – which has a very comprehensive and interesting write-up of the characters and magic that can be found in the Racial War Saga.
