Talon

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Pub Date 01 Apr 2016 | Archive Date 31 Mar 2018

Description

A group of zealots from a distant island is making a move on Jaria, where a group of Kriites with animal bond-mates live. It will soon be up to Talon to find a way to fight back. With a newly awakened icetiger for his companion, Talon is finally learning the magic of his people, including telepathy and shape-changing.

Talon is a nineteen-year-old Kriite man who follows the wolf-god, Sy-tre. For this, he and his people are hunted by slavers who worship the jealous fire-god, Zeidarb. After Jaria is attacked by the Zeikas, Talon embarks on a mission to seek help. Before Talon even understands the power within him, there are demon summoners after him. He is horrified to learn that the Zeika leader plans use Talon’s body and mind to further his ambition for power.

Due to his bloodline and abilities, Talon is both the greatest threat and the greatest boon to the Zeika’s god-given mission to enslave or kill all Kriites. Talon’s actions and faith will make all the difference between the two.

If you enjoy high fantasy with spirituality, action and creatures, this is a great series for you.

"Talon" by Australian author Amanda Greenslade is an epic fantasy novel with a wild and magical journey of discovery, adventure and growth. Action-packed, and spiritually charged, it will immerse you in a world so incredible that you'll want to step into it.

A group of zealots from a distant island is making a move on Jaria, where a group of Kriites with animal bond-mates live. It will soon be up to Talon to find a way to fight back. With a newly...


A Note From the Publisher

~~~About the series~~~

The Astor Chronicles is a series of epic fantasy novels about a Kriite man named Talon, whose gifts have marked him as a target for religious fanatics. Among the Kriites some people have extraordinary telepathic abilities, can bond with an animal or a weapon, even shape shift. The Zeikas, who worship the fire-god Zeidarb, wield sorcerous powers like wards and fire magic. Some can conjure or summon demonic beasts to fight for them. It’s going to take a united effort for Talon and the Kriite nations to defeat the Zeikas.

~~~About the series~~~

The Astor Chronicles is a series of epic fantasy novels about a Kriite man named Talon, whose gifts have marked him as a target for religious fanatics. Among the Kriites...


Advance Praise

“WOW. Amanda I am in awe of your writing. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read Talon. At no time while reading did I feel bored, or uninterested. Your descriptions of the places, the people, even how they fought was so imaginative that it was easy to ‘see’ the story as it unfolded. I truly did not want the story to end. And I await with great anticipation your future published works. ... I feel that both adults and children alike will be able to read your books and enjoy the world you’ve created. I believe that Talon is a greater story than Chronicles of Narnia, and on par with The Chronicles of Thomas Coveant the Unbeliever.”—Julie W.

“The first chapter was amazing. I love knowing the history and background of characters and books before I start reading them and to have that right up front in the beginning was great. Not to mention an amazing hook. I’m a wilderness and military type fan, so its great for me to see that right off the back your book starts off with a great hunter-gathering young lad. Plus you opened alot of door to rooms I’d like to explore right in the beginning. ... I like the icetiger alot, with the amazing description you gave I believe it would make a wonderful drawing.”—Anthony L.

“Personally, I really loved the first chapter. I’m really excited for the book to come out now beause I can’t wait to see what happens next. I love that you did something I rarely see in books anymore—you created a main character that is not some young teen. He is older, more experienced, yet not yet a total ‘adult’. Most books try to ‘connect’ with younger readers by making a 14-year-old main character, but that can be a bit boring. I’m glad that you took it upon yourself to break that norm and create a very likeable main character.”—Shayna M.

“You really developed a large, imaginative world with many details. Very well thought out.”—Karen S.

“WOW. Amanda I am in awe of your writing. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read Talon. At no time while reading did I feel bored, or uninterested. Your descriptions of the...


Marketing Plan

Print edition available via Print on Demand
Ebook available - epub and mobi
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Print edition available via Print on Demand
Ebook available - epub and mobi
Amazon Kindle Select
Internet marketing: online book promotions, WOM, social media, website


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781925427424
PRICE $3.99 (USD)

Average rating from 42 members


Featured Reviews

I received Talon from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review so here we go.

At the beginning of the book the scene is set in a really nice way and I would have liked that first page to be a bit more descriptive. While I enjoyed the fast pace of the novel some things seemed to happen way to fast. For one, Talon met Rekala in the first two pages of the novel before we’d even had the chance to figure out what Rada and Rada-kin was.

Thus leading to the second issue I had with this book, nearly everything was left to the reader to self interpret the words. While there was a glossary at the back I don’t think that makes up for the fact that I spent most of this book thoroughly confused over some foreign words and having to reread sections of the book to interpret what was going on. Personally the writing style was a bit annoying for me. I feel that if Talon had not known all he had it might have made it easier for the reader to relate with him because they would be learning alongside him, not constantly getting dumped with words and no explanations.

While I loved Talon as a character I felt that he almost seemed to have it too good too fast. Now I know that he got separated from Rekala multiple times throughout the book but the fact that he managed to bond with an ice tiger and then also bond with Tiaro in a matter of chapters seemed a bit unbelievable and I think that that could have been handled better.

Despite these flaws I loved the characters and the idea behind the Rada-kin. Being an animal lover I really loved the connection between the Rada and their animals.

Sarlice took a bit of time for me to warm up to and I really wish that we could have seen some parts of the story from her point of view. I would have loved to learn more about her weapon bond. In the end she turned out to be one of my favorite characters!

Towards the end of the book I was really, really enjoying it and the quick paced plot and intriguing storyline made up for the complete lack of any explanation whatsoever. Over all I enjoyed this but not to a great extent.

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Talon by Amanda Greenslade is a fantasy tale for teens and young adults. It has great creativity, imagination, and story line. The characters are intriguing and I enjoyed the magic, shape-shifting, telepathy, and other fantasy in this story. The difficulty was with the very many odd names of everything: places, people, religions, magic uses, level of magic users, animals, gods, and more. It made concentrating on the story difficult if the reader has to try and keep all of these peculiar names straight. The first part of the story didn't sound like true dialogue but got better shortly. It was enjoyable but I would have liked it better with easier names. I found myself wondering how much longer the book had to go at times due to this name issue. Even most of the way through the book, it was not like these names were sticking in my brain. They were too, too many of them. I received this book for a honest review from NetGalley and it in no way effected my review content or rating.

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I enjoyed reading this book, a coming of age along with an animal side - what's not to like. I also liked that Talon was a bit older than usual in this type of story, made his development and abilities a bit easier to accept

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First let me say that this was a DNF.

The hardest thing about being a book reviewer is getting a book, wanting to LOVE it, and just not being able to click with it.

Such is this book.

I LOVED the premise of this book, and honestly it was very well written. However, this book and I didn't super click. I didn't ever want to pick it up. I wanted to WANT to pick it up, if you know what I mean.

Overall, this book has a great plot and characters and such an interesting storyline. But it wasn't for me. BUT it could be for you! Give it a shot!

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Talon was an enjoyable book to read, overall. There are times when the descriptions of the action are much longer than need be. Leaving something to the imagination of the reader to figure out is a good thing.

I was left wanting more and believe that the target audience would enjoy getting to know the characters and the world of Chryne better.

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Talon is a young man, about 20. For his people, he is behind. He lacks his Rada-Kin. That changes, quite suddenly, and it is awesome! Talon finds his Rada-Kin, an blue icetiger. They are very rare, almost extinct. She is a magnificent creature, and being bonded to a Rada, changes everything for both of them.

I *LOVE* that right off the bat it's make clear that the humans were made in their creator's image and given dominion over the Earth and the creatures in it. Because of that Talon is even kinder and more connected to his icetiger. Both Talon and his new Rada-Kin serve The Lightmaker, Yes! This quickening of being Rada-Kin gifts the special animal the person is bonded to an extra level that other animals don't have. They become as sentient, self aware, as humans. Using the waves around them, they are able to communicate telepathically to the person they are bonded to, and they can sense each other's senses. That is fun, and while I have seen it in other books, I really liked it here.

This is the tip of the "iceberg". Talon may, or may not have a second gift, and he is also tasked with saving his people. Rekala, meaning Fury, the icetiger is kidnapped, and from here things just keep moving.

This is a well written, multi=layered super fantasy read. I really want to read the sequels. My copy came from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.

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The journey that Talon is on I find very intriguing and full of adventure.. Having the ability to communicate telepathically is amazing and also being able to transform into animal form. The storyline is very similar to the way religion has been like for centuries(to my way of seeing things).but with lots of fantasy along with it. I can't wait to continue with more.

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This fantasy adventure begins with a young man named Talon, he's a quartermaster's apprentice to Bessed, who is also his Foster father, and a Gatherer. He is also a follower of the Lightmaker. He has been waiting, hoping and praying to become bonded to an animal who will in turn become a sentient begin when bonded. Being bonded allows both animal and person traits from the other and the ability to change shapes for both of the bonded. Rada-kin as they are known. When he is bonded to an Icetiger his world changes, not only is she fierce and rare but her kind are usually bonded to Warriors Not Gatherers.
While running an errand for Bessed to get fish, because fish haven too few in their section of the river lately, something terrible happens to them and his Icetiger who has named herself Rekala meaning Fury is taken by the Zeika. With her help he manages to escape and makes it to a family members house with severe burns on his hands. Devastated that he had to leave Rekala behind but knowing he has to heal before he can rescue her he spends the time at his family’s healing and trying to come up with a plan to rescue her. While thinking about Rekala he hears a strange voice in his head trying to reassure him that they will get her back. Finding out that his was Rada was a big deal but to be Anzaii too, the Lightmaker really blessed him! 2 gifts from the Lightmaker, Tiaro his Anzaii- kin is a spirt gift, and she will be guiding him spiritually.
Upon his return to his village there is a Zeika raid and they take most of his people, as one of the only people able to fight left he sets out to free them and his Rada-kin Rekala. Using his Anzaii - kin Tiaro and the help of another Rada-kin from Lilth he is able to free his people and his beloved Rekala. After the rescue of his people he realizes that they need him so much more than he thought and in order to be what they need him to be, he has to go on a pilgrimage to Tanza and Watercrag to find out if he is Sleffion and Tolite, without that he cannot be named Wave Master. That is the beginning of this fanciful adventure and I hope there is more to come.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will be watching out for the next book in the series.

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The good: I really did like this book, and liked it well enough to dive right into the sequel. I love human/animal bonding stories, and this book absolutely revels in the concept of mental bonding to animals, spirits, and other things. The worldbuilding is very complex, details are rich, and the characters are well-fleshed out. Magic, psychic abilities, wolf gods, and more.

The not-so-good: Info-dumping occurs with industrial-sized construction equipment. I don't actually mind a little info-dumping, but there's nothing little about it, here. Overexplaining is also present. The cultural explaining gets tedious in places, breaking immersion. Many of the commonly-used words are unpronounceable at a glance. (How the heck do you deal with that double 'i')? The MC may be a bit of a Marty Stu. His only flaw seems to be a justifiable wrath, which everyone is trying to help him overcome, so we know he'll do it.

The not-good, not-bad, but notable: This books is way more Christian than Narnia, and boy the religious overtones are driven home using a sledgehammer. The names and details of the mythos may be different, but the Christian metaphysics, beliefs, and mindsets are relentless. The division is presented as very black and white - the bad guys are all bad, the good guys are all good. This book is almost entirely ABOUT religion, which given the current issues in the world, is more than a little hard to take in a fantasy - especially since it definitely takes sides. But if that's your thing, you'll love it.

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A fantasy novel with soul-bonds and various types of magic meant Talon sounded right up my street. I was looking forward to reading it even if just because it’s rare animal-bonds are made with creatures such as tigers. While I enjoyed Talon, I felt it got stronger as it went along.

When I focus on what the plot is truly about, it’s the standard boy-becomes-man story as Talon must learn what he is capable of and accept responsibility with his new powers. This world was refreshing original though and although I have read soul-bond stories before, this had a few new twists. Mainly the fact that once bonded, both Rada and Rada-kin (man and beast) could then shape-shift into any form they desired.

The characters were standard for this type of novel. Talon was likeable but made rash decisions, giving him the chance to grow. Sarlice was a capable warrior, but felt downplayed a lot and Lira was the typical temptress who gave me a bad feeling from the beginning.

The second half of Talon was stronger than the first. There were times during the beginning when I felt overwhelmed by the way the magic was being described and what the bonds meant. It felt as if there should have been a subtler way of explaining what was happening but the pace of the plot meant there wasn’t time.

Some of the description also was misleading. Lira was described as being a “pale frightened girl” when we are first introduced to her character. Talon himself is only around nineteen years old, so is hardly a man. When Lira then announces she is seventeen, it was jolting to find there was very little difference in their ages, yet Talon is becoming a man and Lira still a frightened girl. The actions between the two of them also made little sense until the ages had been clarified.

Overall, I enjoyed this book though. It was full of adventure and magic and soul-searching (both literally and metaphorically). While there was a little confusion at times, it didn’t put me off the story and I will be happy to read the following book to see how things play out.

Amazon

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Revolving around an amazing world and a brilliant magical system, this was the start of an awesome adventure series. The world was rich in its development and its history. I also liked the fact that the main characters were often around members of those they were trying to escape. The tension between the Kriites and the Zeikas in places where they were forced to accept one another without disturbing the peace was interesting and well-captured throughout the book.

I felt like there was a lot of info-dumping, and there were several times I had to wade back through what I had just read because it went over my head in complexity thanks to similar names/ideas between various things. It was one of those books probably best read in paperback form (especially for someone like me who looks back and forth to maps while reading) rather than eBook form.

In a way, this book read like a history book rather than an fantasy adventure, which could work sometimes, but I didn’t really like it for this book.

It was not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. However, the feeling of info-dumping while on the run from Zeikas followed by strained moments while in the presence of Zeika who may or may not have been there to capture Talon drew me out of the story

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... a fascinating and magical world

It always amazes me how authors can create other worlds, complete with their own occupants, gods and animals, plants, landscapes that seem familiar and that are different and occupants who have abilities we can only guess at. Such a place is Chryne, created by Australian author, Amanda Greenslade. A place where magic abounds, where there exists the Kriites, a people who have animal bond-mates, the Rada-kin. Such a man Is Talon, who comes into his bond at later than normal and unexpectedly, with an icetiger. This happens just as his community is attacked by an opposing force, the Zeikas sorcerers and worshippers of the fire god Ziedarb. The Zieka want to bring the Kriites and their bond mates under their control.
Sent on a mission to ask neighbouring kingdoms for help, Talon and his companion Sarlice and their bond mates are tracked by Zeikas. They rescue a young woman, Lira, who joins them on their journey, only to betray them in startling ways.
As Talon and Sarlice race towards refuge they are pursued by a relentless group of Zeikas, who seem to want Talon for his bloodline and gifts. A tense story of action, of magic, and of the growing battle for the Kriites to remain free from the evil espoused by the Zeikas and to continue the ways of their peoples.
Where this series will lead is an intriguing puzzle.

A NetGalley ARC

All reviews appear on Amazon, Goodreads plus Gr Facebook, LibraryThing plus LT Twitter, eyes.2c review blog Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Talon-The-Astor-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01BOGSCM6?ie=UTF8&keywords=talon%20amanda%20greenslade&qid=1459599285&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1 (Apr 1, 2016) LibaryThing plus LibraryThing Twitter http://www.librarything.com/work/17549070/book/128796349 (Apr 1, 2016) Goodreads plus Gr FB https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1599218380 (Apr 3, 2016) eyes.2c reviews blog http://eyes2creviews.blogspot.ca/2016/04/fascinating-and-magical-world.html (Apr 3, 2016)

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Amanda Greenslade has done a bang up job of world building. The magic system is all based on what god you worship, different gods granting different powers. Our main character is Talon, a Rada, who is a shapeshifter with a telepathic bond to an icetiger. He's recently come into possession of some additional abilities and our protagonists, the Zeikas, are hunting for him because of it. They don't age and are granted powers over demons. Zeikas believe other faiths should be enslaved to them. Throughout the book Talon and his friend Sarlice are on the run from the Zeikas as they look to find help for their people.

Received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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A creative beginning for an electrifying series, a perfect combination of action and magic. A great book for all ages.

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I really liked the bond between Rada and Rada-kin.The development of Anzai powers is thrilling.Talon is brave.His journey is full of enemies.Sarlice is also admirable.Their journey to Telby is very much interesting.I really liked reading this book.

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