Fervor [Kindle Edition]

Chantal Boudreau (Author, Illustrator), TW Brown (Editor)

Book Description

Abandoned and scared, but less alone than he could have ever imagined, Sam awakens to the screams of the other children on the island of Fervor, and the absence of all adults. To make matters worse, despite hearing this chaos in his head, he finds himself deaf to the normal sounds around him. His only answers are now being provided by a strangely charismatic boy named Francis who is about to lead Sam to a gathering that will alter his life. Why have things changed so drastically on the island, who is responsible for these changes, and what does this mean to the remaining inhabitants of Fervor?

Product Details

• File Size: 2595 KB
• Print Length: 334 pages
• Publisher: May December Publications LLC; 2 edition (March 8, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004RZ28FE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,016 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars From the Paperback Version May 10, 2011

By Ursula K. Raphael TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

I first came across Chantal Boudreau when I read her short story, Palliative, in the anthology, "Vampires, Zombies and Ghost - Oh My!" I was very impressed, so when she asked me if I would review her novel, Fervor, I agreed without hesitation...but when I received the book in the mail, and I read the jacket description, I regretted saying yes before learning more about the storyline. Even as I write this, I am not sure if Fervor is YA fiction, or not.

I think this tale about children with bizarre talents, abandoned on an island with no adults, would appeal to fantasy readers of any age, from grade school and up. The plot centers around one "house-family" in particular, consisting of a Teller, a Fixer, a Keeper, a Watcher, a Finder, and a Control, and the story is told from the POV of the Fixer, Sam. Francis, the Teller, explains to Sam that the children, Bigs and Littles, can now communicate with their minds through "the connection." As Sam meets the rest of their assigned group, several of them begin to question the secrecy surrounding their new psychic abilities, as well as the loss of some of their other senses.

As much sci-fi and fantasy as I read, I am always reluctant to read a novel that mixes the two genres. Sometimes the author blends the two together well, and other times an author creates an abomination that makes me want to claw my eyes out. Fortunately, Boudreau tempered the mix with a good dose of mystery. Each chapter led me further down the rabbit hole - the scholars' experiment on the island of Fervor. I was so desperate to find out what was behind "the Directives" given to all the house-families that I blew off my daily schedule in an attempt to read Boudreau's novel in one setting.

What really stood out about the author's writing style is Boudreau's talent for fleshing out her characters with incredible detail. I immediately began forming opinions about all of them...and, more often than not, I had misjudged them. It's a nice change to be surprised by the characters, rather than have them be predictable. The depths of their relationships were amazing, but believable, as Sam mentions the months and years that pass throughout his narration, so their unique situation was not hard to imagine.

I haven't enjoyed this type of unusual story since Herbie Brennan's Faerie Wars, and I recommend it to anyone who appreciates great storytelling.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ! April 20, 2011

By Bianca and David

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

In this story we are introduced to Fervor, an island of sorts that is the home to some very special children. We see the story unfold in the eyes of Sam, a small boy who is the Finder of the group. Other members include the Bigs: Francis, the Teller; Nathan, the Watcher; Fiona, the Keeper; Royce, the Control, and one other Little: Sarah, the Fixer. Chantal blends these characters, and their specific tasks, into a rich story unlike no other. Each character has their own unique voice and all grow tangibly as the story progresses. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of the questions it raised while reading it, and how satisfactorily those questions were answered through a very natural flow of the plotline.

While at first I was a bit disjointed in how time passed in this story, I soon realized that it made sense and was cleverly crafted by Chantal in order to propel the story forward in a way that was still exciting and interestingly written in a tight and concise manner.

I enjoyed Chantal's style of writing. This book was well structured and organized. It moved at a strong pace, which was needed to help portray the feelings of anxiety and unease within the characters. Chantal found the tone of Fervor early on, introduces it to us, and has readers hooked in anticipation.
I think the most engaging part of the story as a whole is how while the incidents that occur on Fervor are astounding, Fervor is never made clear to be an alternate world, or one of fantasy. It sits calmly, peacefully, on the edge of "What if."

I give this story 4 out of 5 stars.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Claustrophobic and edgy--Fervor scores! April 12, 2011

By SiamSam

Format:Kindle Edition

Chantal Boudreau's "Fervor" defies the reader to categorize it: is it science fiction? Is it fantasy? Does it takes place in the future, in the past, here on Earth, or elsewhere???

Trapped on a forlorn island (Fervor Island) and part of a bizarre experiment, the Bigs and Littles of House 32 struggle to come to grips with who they are as people while craving to rid themselves of Fervor's dust and escape to civilization once and for all. Their minds are connected and intimate, while they are distanced from their own senses and denied the simple joy of growing up.

Chantal Boudreau creates an amazing landscape of forgotton buildings and cast-aside people who are victims of some dispassionate experiment whose outcome and ultimate goal is unknown.