Arcana Universalis: Terminus [Kindle Edition]

Chris J. Randolph (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Welcome to the world of Arcana Universalis, a strange universe filled with fabled creatures, vile demons, and starships driven by mystical energies. It's a time of fantastic powers that defy belief and vicious bloodshed that spans the stars... most of which belong to the Imperium, an oppressive feudal society brutally ruled by a millennium-old dictator.

Enter Caleb Gedley, a bright but neurotic apprentice fresh from the academy who has a beautiful fiancee and a lifetime of mind-numbing research waiting for him back home. The only obstacle left between Caleb and this cozy future is a six-month externship aboard the Imperial Dragonslayer Ashkalon, an ancient and powerful military starship patrolling the lesser spiral arm.

It was supposed to be a routine tour, just a few months of hard labor in exchange for a land-grant and entrance into noble society, but things in Caleb's life never work out like they're supposed to. When the Ashkalon is sent to investigate the disappearance of a prospector ship, Caleb and his best friend, a young warrior named Bibbs, find themselves on the surface of a mysterious planet, and that's when everything begins to go terribly, horribly wrong...

Terminus is the first segment of the upcoming fantasy novel, Arcana Universalis: The Hanged Man's Revelation, due out in late 2011. This novella-length release is the first of five planned episodes that will together form the final novel.

For more information about this release, please visit our website at: http://oktopods.wordpress.com/

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 239 KB
• Publisher: Oktopod Digital Press (July 4, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005AHNA6E
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,191 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Chris J. Randolph (hey, that's me!) is a writer, futurist and possible killer robot originally from Redwood City, CA. When not talking about himself in the third person, he's usually writing about fictional people who pilot spaceships, fight dinosaurs and seduce green women... and somewhat less often about green women who pilot dinosaurs, fight people and seduce spaceships.

His other interests include linguistics, cooking, video games and digital publishing advocacy. He's the proud recipient of several literary awards he made up himself, and he currently resides in Rocklin, CA, with a family who somehow puts up with his shenanigans. He hopes to someday own his own tropical dictatorship.

You can follow his adventures in digital publishing at: http://oktopods.wordpress.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Quick Read, October 28, 2011

By 

JamieoftheNorth (Maine) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Arcana Universalis: Terminus (Kindle Edition)

After reading "Stars Rain Down" a few months ago, I was curious to check out the author's other work since I enjoyed that book so much. I wasn't disappointed. I really like Randolph's writing style. He paints detailed pictures with his words and the setting of "Arcana Universalis: Terminus" is very imaginative, combining magic and space. The storyline and characters were great and it's a fun, quick read; I finished it in three days, where I didn't have much free time. Looking forward to the next installment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wizards in spaaaaaace, July 25, 2011

By 

Evan Couzens - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Arcana Universalis: Terminus (Kindle Edition)

Arcana Universalis: Terminus is the first of a five part serialized novel by Chris J Randolph that follows the adventures of Caleb Gedley, an apprentice wizard aboard the Imperial spaceship Ashkalon.

That's right, wizards in space. What now?

Caleb and his friend and fellow apprentice Bibbs are ordered to investigate the disappearance of another Imperial spaceship around an idyllic and mysterious planet. There, they discover Alia, a pixie who has been trapped in a magical vault for millennia, only to return to base camp to find themselves under attack by a war party of the Imperium's enemies.

This first episode seems mostly to set up the cowardly and inept Caleb for a grander adventure in the coming installments, but the world here is rich enough to keep the reader engaged throughout. The author's descriptions are as vivid and colorful as you'd expect, although they can make occasional scenes seem like a slog. Otherwise, the pacing is generally good, particularly after we meet Alia. Don't be fooled by the overwrought beginning; the language is crisp and imaginative, and will pull fantasy fans in right away.

An hour, or two at most, should be enough to get through Arcana Universalis: Terminus and will leave the reader anxious for the followup.

4.0 out of 5 stars good start, left me wanting more, February 19, 2012

By 

Timothy May "Timmay" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Arcana Universalis: Terminus (Kindle Edition)

First of all, you should know that whe you buy this novella, what you're really getting is the first few chapters of a book, with later chapters to be released at a later time. The author doesn't hide this fact, but some folks might miss it anyway. That said, this is a very interesting start to a novel. The world reminds me a little of the world in Jim Butcher's "Codex Alera" series, where people use magic instead of advanced technology to achive modern living. The main difference(at least so far) is that in this world, magic has been taken to a much higher level, to the point of using magic to power starships, transporters, and other ususally high-tech devices. The effect is something like a traditional fantasy world crossed with space opera, and it's pretty interesting. To give an example, at one point the main character is summoned to the audience chamber on his starship, only to travel through hallways lit by torches hung on the walls! Anyway, if you don't mind a short read with an as yet unresolved ending, pick this up, you'll be gald you did.