Geist (A Book of the Order) [Mass Market Paperback]

Philippa Ballantine (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 26, 2010 | Series: A Book of the Order (Book 1)

Between the living and the dead is the Order of the Deacons, protectors of the Empire, guardians against possession, sentinels enlisted to ward off the malevolent haunting of the geists...

Among the most powerful of the Order is Sorcha, now thrust into partnership with the novice Deacon, Merrick Chambers. They have been dispatched to the isolated village of Ulrich to aide the Priory with a surge of violent geist activity. With them is Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne that Sorcha is sworn to protect, and bearer of a terrible curse.

But what greets them in the strange settlement is something far more predatory and more horrifying than any mere haunting. And as she uncovers a tradition of twisted rituals passed down through the dark reaches of history, Sorcha will be forced to reconsider everything she thinks she knows.

And if she makes it out of Ulrich alive, what in Hell is she returning to?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wonder Woman, make way for flame-haired Deacon Sorcha Faris, skilled and ruthless enough to defeat an enormous geist (German for "ghost") about to envelop humankind at the outset of Balantine's (Digital Magic) latest cluttered fantasy. Sorcha's expertise finds her soon ordered to Ulrich, a small community in a remote part of the kingdom "overrun with the unliving." Accompanying her is a new deacon partner whose Sensitive skills will balance her Active gifts. En route they must combat the destruction wrought by the unliving; about to lose a desperate battle with them, they're rescued by Raed Rossin, captain of an Ulrich-bound ship. Raed is Pretender to the throne and plagued with a "Curse" that draws the unliving to him like moths to a flame. When they reach Ulrich, they discover that evil emanates from the Priory itself, permeating the town and determined to destroy everyone in it. Balantine clogs her epic tale with battle after battle, introduces villains with bewildering frequency, and sustains such an unrelenting tension that the exhausted reader finally succumbs to indifference by her story's end. (Oct. 26)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review

I especially liked the characters, they were all distinct and Sorcha, the main female character, was tough but BELIEVABLE, she never tried to hard to be competent: she just WAS. Everyone's personality was well balanced against each other, and I definitely rooted for them to succeed!
--Felicia Day

Part of the entertainment in this novel is putting the pieces together to get a picture of the complicated political situation, the period (they have magic airships!), and the nature of the geists and the Deacons' powers. Things get pretty grim, with monsters and treachery everywhere, but plenty of magic-blasting action keeps things lively for a rousing start to this new series.-Locus

Ballantine has created 3- dimensional characters that ring true; they have flaws like the rest of us, and she throws in a bit of romance for fun. This novel is a promising start to a unique series, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in 2011.-Fresh Fiction

...will appeal to urban fantasy fans willing to venture into a wholly invented world, and to high fantasy fans that don't mind a story that's a little sexy. I thoroughly enjoyed this character-driven novel that isn't quite like anything else I've read.-Fantasy Literature

The world of Geist is an intriguing blend of fantasy, paranormal and history. It's not really any more of one genre than another, nor is any of it emphasized above each other. Fans of history may be able to spot all the historical references that were slightly skewed to fit in with the world, while fans of fantasy will be able to spot the magic's used and fans of the paranormal will marvel over the 'undead' that Sorcha and co. fight. It has a little something of everything in other words.-Night Owl Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Ace; Original edition (October 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441019617
• ISBN-13: 978-0441019618
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.9 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #588,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New Zealand author Philippa Ballantine, is a fantasy writer and podcaster.
Her multiple series--Books of the Order, the Shifted World, and the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences (co-written with her husband Tee Morris)--span many speculative fiction genres.
Her works have won an Airship, a Parsec, and a Sir Julius Vogel Award. They have also appeared in the Locus Bestseller list, and been in the Goodreads Top Science Fiction books of 2011.
She currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband, her daughter, and a mighty clowder of cats. Visit her online at pjballantine.com or follow her on Twitter @PhilippaJane.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Like a mix between Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and Illona Andrews Kate Daniels series October 26, 2010

By Abigail TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

GEIST is one of those books that straddles the line between a number of different genres. It reads like a mix between Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and Illona Andrews Kate Daniels series (and not just because of the werelion). A number of paranormal creatures thrown into a high fantasy setting and time period with a splash a steampunk. Let's call it paranormal fantasy.

GEIST is set in a lush high fantasy world were a dedicated Order of essentially mages protect humanity from demons (aka geists) who attempt to possess and destroy the world. The Order is made up of two complimentary types of mages: Actives (who wield magic) and Sensitives (who can `see' the Otherside) who enter into a psychic Bond together.

This type of magic system and the religious/political order who train and dogmatize the deacons from childhood is very reminiscent of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately, at just over 300 pages, I felt like GEIST barely scratched the surface of this necessarily complex society. I'm sure there will be more about The Order in future books, but as it was in the first book, we got the abridged version which remained too shallow for me to really connect with.

The characters were an entirely different matter, specifically Raed Rossin, Pretender to the throne. He is a wonderfully tormented man who brandishes his bitterness and pride like the weapons they are. Sorcha, meanwhile, is a walking legend as the most powerful Active The Order has. She is revered and feared by those around her, save for her indifferent husband and Sensitive partner, Kolya. After an injury, the young and idealistic Merrick is assigned to Sorcha in his stead.

I did like GEIST, but it had the potential to make me love it, and that miss has me disappointed. The world building was fascinating but underutilized, the surprise romance was a nice addition, and the three main characters made for an interesting if dysfunctional group. I'm on the fence about whether or not I'll be picking up SPECTYR when it's published in Summer 2011.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great new fantasy with undead! November 14, 2010

By Lisa (Starmetal Oak Reviews)

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Geist really had me from the first chapter. In it we see Deacon Sorcha Faris and her husband, Kolya trying to find and get rid of a geist in a crowd of civilians. Sorcha is an Active of the Order, a fierce combatant who uses gauntlets inscribed with powerful runes in order to fight the undead. Her husband, and Bonded partner, Kolya, is a Sensitive who are equipped with a Strop around their eyes and are there to guide their Active partners. I really loved this aspect of the world building. There are evil paranormal forces that are watched and dispelled by these Deacons of the Order, who are stationed around the land. They are forces of good in a world where geists can erupt from the Otherside at any moment. The story takes place in a familiar setting of a medieval-like time but progressed enough to have pistols and dirigibles. I enjoyed that part too. It was familiar yet different from what I've seen in other fantasy novels.

After a terrible and shocking geist attack leaves her husband badly injured, Sorcha is given a new temporary partner, Merrick Chambers, to work with on the mystery of the unusual geist attacks. Chambers is a young, newly ordained Sensitive who is Bonded to Sorcha despite his reservations. I really liked Merrick; he offered a fresh and interesting perspective, being so new to the world of the Deacons as we are. He does go through some ups and downs in the story, but by the end, I really liked him.

On Sorcha and Merrick's mission to the town of Ulrich, they are met by a captain named Raed and his crew who are not what they seem. They find their fates attached when they make it to Ulrich and find trouble waiting for them. On this journey we see Sorcha and Raed grow somewhat closer together (and definitely attracted to each other) into what becomes an unusual romance. Yes, she is married, but her relationship with her husband has been almost nonexistent for two years. I wasn't too bothered by this, but perhaps others would be. I appreciated the unconventional romance; however, it wasn't the thing I liked most about this story.

My least favorite part was Sorcha herself. She smokes cigars, is a pretty cold person on the outside, and is the best at what she does. I didn't connect with her for those reasons, although it didn't deter me much from enjoying the story.

Overall, I really liked Geist. The unique and exciting world building made this a great read for those who like undead and/or paranormal creatures in a different setting. There's a lot of action (which I definitely love) and good story. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys those things. The romance, on the other hand, could be improved upon. The sequel, Spectyr, comes out next year and I will definitely be reading it.

A review copy of this book was provided by Ace Books.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a page-turner! January 20, 2011

By Brooke Fox

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I used to be a big reader. Like, really big. But in the last 5 years it's been hard for books to keep my attention and while I did manage to work my way through a few novels and short story collections recently, graphic novels have been the bulk of my intake. Imagine my surprise when I started reading Geist and I could. not. put it down! Every day I was reading! I was neglecting chores! I was staying up late! That's how much this book grabbed me. For one, the world is immensely detailed and fully realized. Ms. Ballantine does a fantastic job of making the world believable even as it continues to surprise you, ie. the medieval setting is revealed to have guns and airships as well as magic. The main players in this world are unique and flawed, just as three-dimensional characters ought to be. I found myself very drawn to the protaganist, Sorcha, and empathizing with her plights and painful choices. Plus she enjoys a good cigar! Plot-wise, you couldn't ask for a better fantasy story! It has everything: adventure, romance, betrayal, even a healthy splash of horror makes its way into the pages! Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Geist! You won't be disappointed and then we can all be waiting impatiently for the sequel together!