Tag Archives: Chronicles of the One

The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts – a Review

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The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts – a Review

 

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Description:
After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her young years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined to save even those who have been complicit with this evil out of fear or weakness—if, indeed, they can be saved.

Strengthened by the bond she shares with her fellow warrior, Duncan, Fallon has already succeeded in rescuing countless shifters and elves and ordinary humans. Now she must help them heal—and rediscover the light and faith within themselves. For although from the time of her birth, she has been The One, she is still only one. And as she faces down an old nemesis, sets her sights on the enemy’s stronghold, and pursues her destiny—to finally restore the mystical shield that once protected them all—she will need an army behind her…

 

 

Review:

The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts is the 3rd and final book in her Chronicles of The One trilogy. I loved the two previous books in this trilogy, and I have to say that Nora Roberts once again gives us a masterpiece in this satisfying thrilling conclusion.

Note:  The Rise of Magicks is not a standalone, do not read this book if you have not read the previous books.

Background of Chronicles of One: a post-apocalyptic dystopian, with a bit of fantasy, that starts with a lethal virus (The Doom) that will destroy most of the world. A new beginning will start with the survivors, which will pit the dark (evil) and the light (good) against each other that will divide and separate all. Magic (witches, fairies, elves, etc) rises, causing division among those with newfound powers that are used for good, and those who are evil and want to hurt others, and the humans with no power at all, bent on destroying all magic.

It has been 20 years since the Doom, and in The Rise of Magicks, our heroine, Fallon Swift, after years of training, has become extremely powerful. She brings everyone together working toward building an army to fight the violence that threatens them, such as Purity warriors to want to kill all magickal people, the corrupt government and the evil darkness that they must defeat to survive.

As the members of her team, from New Hope, and other communities that they have rescued and trained towards winning this war, Fallon’s plan is to head for Arlington, one of the biggest compounds, as well as two other camps in other cities.  Fallon knows she needs add many more people to fight and free those imprisoned, building her army to the thousands they will need to weaken and destroy the enemy.   Many of those they rescue are the tortured innocent humans, as well as the magickal witches, faeries, elves, who will stand with them against the evil.

What I loved about this story was seeing all my favorites from the previous books, who are loyal to Fallon, whom they know as The One, and seeing them all work together for a common goal; bring out the light and destroy the dark.  It was also wonderful to meet so many new characters that would rise up beyond their terrible torture and be willing to fight for The One. Fallon was a wonderful heroine, whom I loved from the time she was born in the second book, and as she gets older, it was nice to see a romance in the background of the story.   The wonderful characters that supported her were equally so great; Lana, Duncan, Mallick, Simon, Tonia, Katie, Rachel, Hannah, Fred, Arlys, Colin, Mick, just to name a few.  Great cast of characters.

I do not want to give spoilers, as that would ruin the story, and you really need to read this trilogy.  What follows is an exciting, fast paced, nonstop action-packed, at times dark and intense adventure, with everyone working together and preparing for the war of good vs evil.  The battles were many, and each one had me on the edge of my seat; and in any war, there are lives that are lost.  The last half of the book was intense and captivating. Fallon and her team, old and young, were amazing.

The Rise of Magicks was a fantastic finale to this wonderful epic trilogy, which is no surprise, as Nora Roberts always gives us a masterpiece. There is so much to love about this dark, tense and magical world, in a dystopian fantasy that was a thriller a minute.  If you enjoy an exciting, mind boggling adventure, in a fabulous dystopian world and fantastic characters, you need to be reading Chronicles of The One trilogy. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts – a Review

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Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts – a Review

 

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Description:
They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed.

Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before—the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted—and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden.

In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

 

Review

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts is the 2nd book in her Chronicles of The One trilogy. I loved the first book in this trilogy, Year One, and waited impatiently for Of Blood and Bone, and I have to say it is equally as good or even better as the first book and once again, I will wait with high anticipation for the final book in this trilogy.  I have the utmost respect for Nora Roberts, who changes things with this dark dystopian fantasy, and still manages to gives us another masterpiece.

Note:  Of Blood and Bone is not a standalone, as it is book 2 of a trilogy.  If you have not read Year One, you need to read that book first to fully understand the story line.

Background of The Chronicles of One: a  post apocalyptic dystopian, with a bit of fantasy, that starts with a lethal virus (The Doom) that will destroy most of the world. A new beginning will start with the survivors, which will pit the dark (evil) and the light (good) against each other that will divide and separate all. Magic (witches, elves, etc) rises, causing  division among those with newfound powers that are used for good, and those who are evil and want to hurt others, and the humans with no power at all, bent on destroying all magic.

Of Blood and Bone picks up 12 years later, after the massacre that made Lana run away to save the others, and protect the baby she was carrying. We catch up with Lana, her husband, Simon and their 4 kids living on the same farm where they last left off.  Time is close for when Mallick promised he would return when their daughter Fallon reached the age of 13, and he would take her away for two years, to train, as everyone has been waiting for the girl who is the One; the one who will save them all from the evil that still threatens the world.  Lana, who has witch powers, has trained Fallon all her life, teaching her what is her destiny as the One.  But now Mallick will take her to further train her how to fight, use a sword and most importantly use her powers in leading the light to win this oncoming war. When Mallick comes, both Lana, Simon and the 3 boys are unhappy, but they knew this day would come.  As Fallon leaves with Mallick, Simon and Lana will begin to work on training their boys how to fight.

The story centers on Fallon, who even at 13 is a great heroine, and as the story progresses, she will be even more so.  I loved how Fallon grew stronger with each passing day, and most of all loved her bonding with the three animals that will stand beside her throughout this adventure; Taibhse, the Owl; Faol Ban, the Wolf and  Laoch, the horse (Alicorn).   This was just another wonderful element to this story.

Another great part that I worried about at the end of the first book; we returned to New Hope, and got to spend a lot of time with most of the originals.   Many of our favorites (Arlys, Fred, Will, Katie, Rachel, Eddie, Jonah, Bill,etc just to name a few) continued to build up New Hope, with their children (many Fallon’s age) having their own gifts, and destined to join with Fallon in fighting all evil.  I absolutely loved (almost to tears) when Fallon, Lana, Simon and the boys finally arrive in New Hope (close to 16 years after Lana left) and the emotional responses from Lana and those still there from when she left.  Very nice indeed.

What follows is an exciting, action-packed, at times dark and intense adventure, with everyone working together and preparing for the war of good vs evil.  The last quarter of the book was captivating, with us on the edge of our seat, and there were some twists and surprises that shocked us all.  Fallon and her team, old and young, were amazing, and I for one cannot wait to see what Nora has in store for us in the third and final book of this trilogy.

Of Blood and Bone was a fantastic addition to this trilogy, which is no surprise, as Nora Roberts is a master at her craft.  There is so much to love about this dark, tense and magical world, in a dystopian fantasy that was a thriller. I will not give spoilers, but you need to read this and enjoy the amazing wild ride, fabulous characters, fantastic animals, and a heroine that you will be rooting to win and bring light back to the world.  We all need a Fallon Swift.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Year One by Nora Roberts – a Review

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Year One by Nora Roberts – a Review

 

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Description:
It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed—and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magic rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river—or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

 

 

Review:

Year One by Nora Roberts is the 1st book in her new Chronicles of the One trilogy. I am a big fan of Nora Roberts/JD Robb, and I absolutely have love every one of her trilogies.  Year One is a post apocalyptic dystopian, with a bit of fantasy, and a totally different type of storyline book for Nora, but there are some similarities.  Year One begins with a family on vacation, a hunting that kills something more than a bird, and the start of a lethal virus (The Doom) that will destroy most of the world. In a short period, 80% of the world’s population will die, leaving the survivors that are immune to the virus.

We meet along the way, three sets of characters, who will travel to find others in a world that is deep in devastation, desperation and darkness.  In a new beginning, we will always find the dark (evil) and the light (good), that will divide and separate all. Magic (witches, elves, etc) will also arise, causing another division among those with newfound powers that are used for good, and those who are evil and want to hurt others, and the humans with no power at all, bent on destroying all magic, and those who have it.

Max and Lana is a married couple,  who have some magic ability that they continue to learn about, and they are good people.  Together they will leave New York to find a safe place to live and find others. Arlys and Fred (she is an elf) work at the radio station, and leave together, as word comes that they will be in danger.  Rachel and Jonah, both medical professionals, who also leave to find safety, along with Katie, who just gave birth to twins.  Along the way in this dark and doom, they will all eventually meet to start with about 300 others a land they call New Hope.  When Lana becomes pregnant, everyone is beginning to feel comfortable, with hope.

But just when the light shines beautifully, evil rears its ugly head; everything changes, and the last quarter of the book becomes centered on one person.  The ‘One’ who is destined to be the savior of this new world; who must stop the darkness that threatens to destroy them all.  This is where Roberts changes the game, and throws us for a loop, as she rarely ever does this in her other trilogies.  There are surprises, twists and deaths we never saw coming.  The only thing I worry about is that I want to know what happens to wonderful great characters we got to know during the majority of the book, but were not part of it in the last quarter. 

I am holding my breath to see where Nora will take us in the next book.  Bravo to Nora Roberts for giving us a fantastic start to a fabulous breathtaking, emotional, tense and exciting storyline.  I am hoping we do not have to wait too long for the next book, as I am already on pins and needles.  Year One proves that Nora Roberts can write anything at all, and give us a fantastic story. I strongly sugges that you  read Year One.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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