Deviations: Covenant [Paperback]

Elissa Malcohn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2007

TripStone hates to kill her gods but she must feed her people. An accomplished hunter in the Masari village of Crossroads, she is charged with the ritual slaying of the sacred Yata. Her comrade Ghost tries to end Masari dependence on Yata meat by performing experiments punishable by death. His jeopardy increases when he shelters a teenage runaway sickened by fasting. Their worldview shatters when they harbor a Yata woman raised to be livestock instead of a god. But Crossroads itself is imperiled. Hidden in the far woods, a secret Yata militia is preparing to alter the balance of power.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Aisling Press (September 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934677175
• ISBN-13: 978-1934677179
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,381,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elissa Malcohn was a 1985 John W. Campbell Award finalist for best new science fiction writer of the year. Her stories have appeared in Hugo Award winners ASIMOV's and ELECTRIC VELOCIPEDE, Bram Stoker Award winner UNSPEAKABLE HORROR, IPPY Silver Medalist RIFFING ON STRINGS, SHE NAILED A STAKE THROUGH HIS HEAD: TALES OF BIBLICAL TERROR, and elsewhere. Her story "Hermit Crabs" (EV #14) is on the recommended reading list in THE YEAR'S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, 26TH ANNUAL COLLECTION. Her novelette "Flotsam" (ASIMOV'S, Oct./Nov. 2009) is on the recommended reading list in THE YEAR'S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, 27TH ANNUAL COLLECTION. (Her poetry also appears in the Oct./Nov. 2009 ASIMOV'S, and elsewhere.) Watch for fiction in JACK O'SPEC: TALES OF HALLOWEEN AND FANTASY, due out from Raven Electrick Ink.

You can find her DEVIATIONS series as free e-book downloads on her website (Web search: "Malcohn's World") and on Manybooks.net and Smashwords. Her website contains more publication info.

When not writing, Elissa can sometimes be found crouched in compromising positions to photograph insects or standing up at open mics, where she sings extemporaneously and gives spoken word performances. You can follow her on CHRONICLES FROM HURRICANE COUNTRY and other blogs. She is honored and humbled to be a participating author in Operation E-Book Drop, delivering free e-books to servicemen and women; Books For Soldiers; and Shadow Forest Authors, supporting literacy programs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put it Down, May 13, 2008

By 

FatChickDancing (FL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Deviations: Covenant (Paperback)

I love the character development and the premise of the central conflict in this story. The author's tone coaxes and guides the reader to judge the ethics of the situation instead of dictating right and wrong. Without revealing the surprising plot, I can say that the story had me creeped out at first, in the way many vampire novels do. But it has a much higher path to it. It's so well-written that once you're caught up in the action, you can't put the book down. The only disappointment is seeing the final pages approaching when you're craving more "meat" to the story.

It's such a relief to know that this is only the first book in the series!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deviations: Covenant. An excellent read, October 29, 2007

By 

GypsyWynd (NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deviations: Covenant (Paperback)

This is just the kind of book I like: too good to put down, but when it's over, you wish there were more and are sorry to see it end. (Fortunately, since this is the first in a series, there is more to look forward to!)

It's a fantastic read: great characters, good story, thought-provoking (you could say lots of 'meat' to the story), and it all really 'comes to life'. I highly recommend it.

4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant surprise., August 7, 2011

By 

plot hound (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deviations: Covenant (Paperback)

This has an interesting premise with a codified relationship of murder between two races. It is an original idea and is developed well.

The reasons behind the covenant are explained as we read the book with a view of the history of those involved and they make a twisted sort of sense as religion gets mixed into things.

There is some good world building here.

The characters are all believable and likeable, they are involved in a variety of different struggles and there are no corners cut here or simple morality play, lots of shades of grey.

The story starts quite slow, never dull though, but towards the end the pace is very quick as all the plot threads converge.

The ending is good, no cheap happy ending but instead something consistent and believable although it is clearly set up for another book to follow.

A good read from start to finish.

This book (and the others in the series) are available for free from the authors website which makes the high quality even more surprising.