His son looked about as bad as he himself felt. His skin was pale and his blue eyes were sunken. His normally pristine armor was covered in gore, his tabard torn and bloody. His eyes were the worst though. They reflected every emotion Damon himself was trying to push away. Disgust, anger, grief, and further back at just the corners where it could almost be ignored lurked despair. He held the reins to his grey gelding and waited for his father to bid him to continue.
Tyber was always proper. Zachary would have blurted out whatever he wanted to say before Damon had even turned, but Tyber waited patiently as he always did. Damon looked past his son to the gelding. His sides were sunken, and his legs were braced in a fashion that suggested they might buckle soon. With blister-filled lungs, he would soon begin bleeding from his nose and mouth.
Damon had lost his own horse days ago in the same fashion. With the first sign of the plague being fever, a loss of appetite was soon to follow.
And soon after that, things became truly unpleasant. It had started with the animals before it moved to his people. Only the strongest of the beasts had survived the first wave, but now apparently they too were succumbing. I know, Father, he is almost done for. I wish I could end his suffering.
But I fear I may need the last of his strength. He was unsure how to tell his son there was nothing in the capital to save. Word had come this morning before the battle that his wife and daughter were victims to the plague. Damon gritted his teeth and forced his imagination away from the images of their bodies twisted in sickness. He wanted to keep his last memories of them as pure as they had been.
There could be no denial though; he would have to tell his son they were dead. He would have to tell them all that the capital was burning. He had ordered it so himself. It had reached the point where it was easier to move the living from the city than it was to move the dead.
He stared past his son in the direction of his home, his former home, he corrected. By now, it would be nothing more than ashes. How exactly did one tell his children that their beloved mother was dead? The woman who had nursed them at her breast, cradled them when they were upset, and loved them so fiercely.
How could he tell his two sons that their little sister, who was not even old enough to have known a first kiss, was dead, despite how they had always protected her? No matter how strong they had been, no matter how large their armies, no matter how proud their house, Veir had fallen. Slain by an enemy they could not fight before this army had even arrived. Veir was lost; there could be no denying it. Despair crept over his mind again, and he firmly pushed it away once more.
He had two children left. Book Five of the Restoration Series. A Gathering of Armies: Book Six of the Restoration Series. Year 2, The Killing Crstyal. Rise of the Blood Masters: Book Five of the Dragon Stone Saga. Catalyst The Passage of Hellsfire, Book 1. The Shadow Grid Returns. Ashandor Chronicles - Book 1. The Line of Illeniel. The Call of the Sword. Book one of the Dragon Stone Saga. The Return of the Dragon Riders: Book two of the Dragon Stone Saga.
The Call to Dragon's Rest. The Fall of Fyorlund. Of Dark Elves And Dragons. The Waking of Orthlund. Reawakening The Passage of Hellsfire, Book 3. The Shadow at the Gate.
I may not have the expertise of an author self-pinned or traditional , nor the big burly muscles surrounding a soft heart like Robert Irvine, but I truly just want authors to succeed at what they love and that includes Melissa Myers. Myers is not one of these. It had reached the point where it was easier to move the living from the city than it was to move the dead. When I found Myers website melissamyersbooks , I read the 1st chapter of her next book and I can't wait for it to come out this fall.: The humor and wit. Would you like us to take another look at this review?
The Third Soul Omnibus One. The Return of the Sword. Rising of a Mage. Book One of The Legacy Trilogy. A Darkness in the East. The Master of Izindi. Everyone we meet is operating in shades of grey and understands a few smaller sacrifices may be made for larger ones. There's also a repeated statement that seems to be a philosophy for the entire population, but was immensely puzzling: Had Brandon Sanderson written this book, it would have been stretched to at least two more books, if not three.
It feels a great deal like a novella or two tied together with a short story. That said, I think I'd comfortably recommend this to people who enjoy fantasy, particularly the Lackey's Valdemar series and Rothfuss' Wise Man's Fear. View all 7 comments. Jun 17, Jan rated it it was amazing.
I loved the story line, it was original once you got into it. The characters came to life for me with their different emotions.
Even though Jala was the main character, Finn and Marrow quickly became my favorites. I can't wait for the second book to come out. Aug 01, Jordan Walker rated it it was amazing. I truly loved this book. Unlike most series where the first book normally drags From page one to the end In Shades of grey will keep you captivated and begging for the next in the series. Honestly I'm truly amazed that this is an Indie book. It is as good as any I've read from a major publisher and better than most. The plot is well developed, the world is unique and it doesn't have the typical ancient time line setting.
The characters are extremely well done with dialogue th I truly loved this book. The characters are extremely well done with dialogue that is both witty and flows naturally. Perhaps the best part of the characters themselves is how well they evolve through the story. Most authors tend to have the same character at the beginning as they do at the end. However with Myer's characters you can see how the events are shaping their personalities and watch them evolve.
If I cannot form attachment with the characters in a book I do not get the sequel. With this book there are several characters that I consider myself attached to, though Finn is probably my favorite I personally like a book that has a bit of a dark appeal to it. While In Shades of Grey is not yet dark; I can see difficulties for the characters developing and it makes me quite eager for the sequel.
I am also emotional when I read, I want a book that can make me laugh and cry, this one did Martin, Myers didn't kill off any of my favorite characters. I know quite a few are scared of Indie Authors due to the amount of time you have to spend digging to find a good one Bravo to Myers may she write many more. Aug 07, CuriousSusan D rated it it was amazing. Myers is not one of these. Though she is a brand new author, her talent for storytelling is natural and her book is superior. I don't want to give much of the story away so I'll just say I was quickly drawn in to Jala's life and addicted to the story.
The character development is appealing and the plot twists kept me on my toes. And even when they weren't anything I could have anticipated, I ended up loving those twists and wanting to know more. It's nice that this book isn't just like everything else that's out there. Myers knows how to weave into my emotions and keep my imagination spinning. When I found Myers website melissamyersbooks , I read the 1st chapter of her next book and I can't wait for it to come out this fall.: Jan 22, Colleen rated it it was amazing.
Such a refreshing change in the world of fantasy. It is far from your typical fantasy and exactly what I've been looking for in a new book. Myers is an absolute natural! I have been addicted from the beginning. The storyline is so well laid out, with the perfect amount of detail, not lacking or overbearing, that you become very familiar with each character and their personality and can truly relate to them.
There is such wonderful character structure that I found myself becoming so attached to them that my own emotions surfaced and I was brought to tears at certain moments. The array of emotions Myers can evoke is astonishing. She is far from predictible in her writing, keeping you on your toes consistantly and leaving you begging for more!
I would love to someday see her story on the big screen, especially for those who don't read. It would be a shame not to share her work further! Before I had finished the last chapter I was anxious for the second book. I can't say enough good things about this author, but don't just take my word for it, experiance it yourself! Aug 25, Viv JM rated it liked it Shelves: I am a bit torn rating this!
As far as the storyline and characters go, this book, for me, would merit 4 stars. The world building was interesting, the plot well paced and the cast of characters entertaining. However, I did find the writing a little unpolished in places, and this spoiled the flow a little. Careful editing could definitely remedy this though, and all in all I thought this was a very good debut fantasy novel. Melissa Myers has a knack for description.
Her characters come alive in a way that make you feel as though you are walking through their lives with them as the story unfolds. Dec 10, Liliane rated it it was amazing. But I really loved this series like I had my mock weeks and I blasted through like all 4 of them and am on the 5th like iz a good time.
Editorial Reviews. From the Author. In Shades of Grey is back from the editor once more. The latest copy is up and available, I hope you enjoy. The Elder Blood Chronicles: In Shades of Grey Paperback – June 23, Series: The Elder Blood Chronicles (Book 1) See all 1 customer reviews.
Mar 23, Thistle rated it it was ok. This book should have been doomed from the start; I've never had a single good experience with a book that started on Smashwords. And yet, this book was actually okay. Even good in some sections!
The writing was fine, the editing was good enough, the story and world were interesting. While it wasn't bad, it didn't hold m Self-published. Feb 01, S Pearlyan rated it it was ok Shelves: If not for the annoying romance, it could've been such a great book. Promising world, promising creatures. Alas, author fell into teenage romance trap.