Anathema (Cloud Prophet Trilogy, #1) [Kindle Edition]

Megg Jensen (Author)

Book Description

Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master's symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

Can Reychel learn to believe in herself?

Other Books by Megg:

The Song of Eloh Saga:

The Initiate, Book 1 - a novelette bridging the Cloud Prophet Trilogy and The Swarm Trilogy

Cloud Prophet Trilogy:

Anathema, Book 2
Oubliette, Book 3
Severed, Book 4

The Swarm Trilogy:

Sleepers, Book 5
Afterlife, Book 6
The Sundering, Book 7

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Megg Jensen has created an engaging, richly detailed read." - Brutally Honest Book Reviews

"I recommend you run, not walk, to get yourself a copy of this wonderful book!" - The Caffeinated Diva

"I was sucked in from start to finish." - Can't Find a Bookmark

About the Author

Megg Jensen has been a freelance parenting journalist since 2003 and began writing YA novels in 2009. She co-runs DarkSide Publishing, is a member of SCBWI, and blogs about writing while juggling freelancing, volunteering, and family life. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids, and their miniature schnauzer, Ace. For more information on Megg please visit her website at http://www.meggjensen.com/.

Product Details

• File Size: 339 KB
• Print Length: 204 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: 80 Pages (February 4, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004MDLN66
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,301 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #83 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Teens > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy
  • #87 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Sword & Sorcery

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars What a fantastic story April 21, 2011

By Sarah From QLD

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I would really rather give this book 3.5.

Despite this, i would like to say the Megg Jensen is an author i will be keeping a close eye on in the future. I think that she has a lot of talent. I will certainly be reading more of her work in the future.

The plot behind the book was great! (4.5 / 5) I love the ideas and concepts. It was the story itself that drew me into this book. I spent every single second reading this book itching to find out what happened next. The plot moved very well and i enjoyed every minute reading this book. The characters were also well crafted. Their different energies flew off the page. I really felt the different personalities shining through.

What i found difficult, was that the author was dropping subtle hints about plot lines that actually were not that subtle. Readers get a lot out of one line. Some of it was very obvious and a few of the 'hints' sounded very false, like they were in there just to drop a hint to the readers.

Secondly I found that some of the speech was a bit disjointed. It slipped from historical sounding to casual modern language. I think it would have improved the story if the speech had been better crafted.

On occasion i also felt that important ideas were just throw in to get them out of the way and a couple of the scenes were underdeveloped.

Despite these little problems the story was engaging to say the least. Junior readers may like the extra hints the author provides and the slightly underdeveloped scenes certainly kept the plot moving at a great pace. Great for people who might put down a book at the slightest pause. It also meant that i could fly through the book and finish it in 1/2 a day.

I would recommend reading this book. I will perhaps even read it again myself and i will certainly be reading more of her work as it comes through.

Great book, Well done!

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A great first draft of a story September 28, 2011

By Patrice F. Sarlese

Format:Kindle Edition

I got this book because the Amazon reviews were so complementary and I was excited to start a new series. Unfortunately this book reads like (to steal a phrase from one of my writing professors) an "ugly first draft." The story is unique and shows a lot of promise but the writing is very disjointed. There is little effort put into character development and none put into the relationships between the characters. The dialogue is uninspired at best, and painfully unrealistic at the worst. It was downright painful to read at times and laughable at others.

This book *could* be worth reading but it needs a lot of editing to clean up the dialogue, descriptions, and plot. If you're looking for a novel that is well crafted and polished, then skip it.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review by YA Book Haven August 15, 2011

By Nicole's YA Book Haven

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I contacted Megg Jensen a few weeks back about a review copy of "Anathema". I've been reading wonderful things about the book online and I was eager to see just how good it is. When I finished this book, my mouth fell open in shock. "Anathema" is quite possibly one of the best young adult novels I've read this year. Megg Jensen has truly crafted a phenomenal story with interesting characters. It's the perfect beginning for what is sure to be an amazing trilogy!

"Anathema" is the story of Reychel, a slave girl on the verge of her fifteenth birthday, an occasion she's been dreading. Upon her birthday she will be branded with her master's symbol, a box, on the nape of her neck below her bald scalp in which she will be claimed by her master. She's scared of the pain that will come with the branding and she wishes her friend, Ivy, who has gone missing, was there to help her through it.

Upon one of her meetings with her master, Reychel tells him a story one in which she states she will not be branded. Her master becomes angry with her, even though Reychel swears the story was false, and sends her to the dungeon where she meets a woman that will help her escape. Avoiding spoilers: Reychel will discover secrets that will change the world as she knows it; she'll realize that those she's held close to her heart have been lying to her for years.

What's nice about Reychel is that she holds a great power, one that she doesn't quite understand. She's a strong, determined character, and I like that about her. I just purchased the second book on Friday, I can't wait to see where the story is headed! Megg Jensen is an author to watch!

More About the Author

Megg Jensen has been a freelance parenting journalist since 2003 and began writing YA novels in 2009. She owns 80 Pages, Inc., is a PAL member of SCBWI, speaks frequently at conferences and small groups, while juggling freelancing, volunteering, and family life. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids, and their two miniature schnauzers, Ace and Tanu.

For more information on Megg please visit her website at http://www.meggjensen.com/.