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Betnoni's Prophecy

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Betnoni's Prophecy is the first book in The Last Gate series. From the prologue:

"The Last Gate is set on a world very much like our own Earth. Humans dominate the world, but theirs is a world of science, technology and magic. It is actually two stories existing side by side, and interwoven with each other. On one side are the dakas of Jantideva, a family of monarchs that virtually rule the world through the Alliance of Nations. On the other side is an almost extinct race of people called Ver dala Ven. Cobo is one of the last members of the golden-eyed people who are given the right to serve the Guardian and the Masing Star.

A thousand years before the story begins, one of the dakas, Daka Redd, tried to force the people of Shodalum, to work in the deadly lume factories with no thought to what the chemicals did to their health. The Guardian became angry, and took (allowed to die or killed) all the Ver dala Ven, who served the dakas as healers and advisors, except one in every generation. The Masing Star, whose constant song could be heard by all and brought peace to the souls of all the races, fell silent. But Betnoni, the Ver dala Ven who had stopped Daka Redd's attack on the striking Shodites, left a prophecy which no one understood until it started coming true..."

Though her curse became so accepted that it took on her name, with the passage of time the holders of her secret hardly took note of the prophecy."

The Shodites operated the lume plants that supplied the lume the Dakas had become dependent upon to fuel their windriders. From Chapter 1:

"Lume produced a waste product that caused instantaneous death when used on a living being; a clean and bloodless death that melted the internal organs of the victim seconds after absorption. In a society that had not known war for five thousand years, the production of weapons was the ultimate waste of lives and currency. Redd, however, was ambitious."

Ver dala Ven Corbo tries to put an end to the slavery of the Shodites and reconcile them with the Dakas in order to bring back the song of the Masing Star and to bring all the people of The Last Gate under the protection of the Guardian again.

In Betnoni's Prophecy Elizabeth A. Merz has created a world of love, families, mercy, religion, exploitation, war, cruelty-all the aspects of life in our world, but intensified by mutation and mutilation worse than any this world has seen to date-intensified by the ability of some of the characters to read the minds of others. Ms. Mrz has done an incredible job of portraying the stories of all the classes of citizens of The Last Gate so that the reader identifies and champions characters who are inevitably going to harm each other-they have no choice. This ability to elicit sympathy for the heroes and heroines of opposing camps is the mark of a master story teller and Betnoni's Prophecy proves Elizabeth A. Merz has mastered her craft.

Betnoni's Prophecy didn't end with all or even most of the loose ends tied up. In fact it didn't end-even after 308 pages. This reader only hopes the next book in the series starts where this book stopped, because there are characters left in peril, with no resolution.

-Evelyn Gale

Betnoni's Prophecy is a dramatic science fiction epic saga, the first title in a seven novel series called "The Last Gate". The last of an ancient race must follow an ancient prophecy to bring the Last Gate into the world. Very highly recommended for fantasy fans and science fiction enthusiasts, Betnoni's Prophecy is an evocative story filled with sensual description and exotic culture blended with down-to-earth heroes and villains.

(The Last Gate Series by Elizabeth A. Merz)

Book #1:Betnoni's Prophecy
(Quiet Storm edition)

Well, this an Fantasy/Sci-fi book, however the technology parts
are very easy to follow so don't worry,
actually For me it's a more Fantasy/Politic book.

The story move at a very good pace ..in the Prologue
we meet Betnoni's & Daka Redd..and there we learned about
those decisions & actions both of them take that lead to this Curse/Prophecy for generations..!

this it's a wonderful world of Politics,Magic,Religion,Cruelty,
Romance and of course action..and thats just to name an few..!

the author "Elizabeth Merz" created an Huge new world full of wonderful characters,nations,cultures, races. and I mean an huge world building, indeed..!

I'm Highly Recommended "Betnoni's Prophecy"...and Book #2 Cobo's Quest as well...!

After years of working with the lume plants that have exponentially killed their friends and family, the Shodites demand that their overseer Daka Redd provide a safe and healthy environment. Arrogant Redd ignores the demands. The Shodites go on strike, but Redd declares that his slaves have started hostilities. His spiritual advisor the Betnoni the Ver dala Ven warns him to heed the peoples' voice or else one Daka son per generation will fall. They will also lose the connection to the Masing star that aids the Ver dala Ven, who will no longer exist. Redd rejects his Ver dala Ven advisor.

One millennium later, Cobo of the Betnonis believes that he is the only living Ver dala Ven until he learns that he has a teenage son Taen from his passionate love making with Daka leader Jishni before his exile eighteen years ago. Cobo does not know for certainty whether his abusive son raised by his beloved and his uncle has the power. However, Cobo will learn the lad does not have the personality for Taen plans to use his biological sire to take control while Cobo wants to fulfill the prophecy by opening the last gate to the missing Masing Star..

The first book of the Last Gate septology is a tremendous political fantasy thriller that contains a richly developed cast (past and present) that make believers out of the audience. Especially intriguing is the antagonists locked in a pivotal battle that seems Freudian. World builder extraordinaire Elizabeth Merz provides a strong opening tale that besides the upcoming sequels, begs for Daka Redd's tale to be written in depth in its own novel.

Harriet Klausner