Legends Reborn (Military Science Fiction) (The Light of Epertase) [Kindle Edition]

Douglas R. Brown (Author)

Book Description

Since the dawn of time, the Light of Epertase has determined when the throne was to be passed from elder to heir. For more than a thousand years, the Light's decision had never been challenged-until now.

When a ruthless army advances on Epertase, the Light determines that corrupt King Elijah is no longer fit to rule - his daughter, Princess Alina, is the kingdom's only hope for salvation.

When evil men violently abduct her, Epertase's fall appears inevitable.

But all is not lost, for Alina has a secret lover lurking in the outer mountains; a long-banished warrior willing to bring down armies and King Elijah himself to save her. His name is Rasi and he prepares for blood.

Deadly men plan to sacrifice Alina for the Light of Epertase that lives within her soul. Rasi plans to kill all who try. The kingdom's fate hangs in the balance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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About the Author

Douglas R. Brown is a fantasy writer who lives in Pataskala, Ohio. He began writing more than five years ago as a cathartic way of dealing with the day-to-day stresses of life as a firefighter and paramedic for the Columbus Ohio Division of Fire. Now he focuses his writing on fantasy, where he draws on his lifelong love of the genre.

Product Details

• File Size: 638 KB
• Print Length: 384 pages
• Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing (August 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005MR3R5Q
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #428,885 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intoxicating epic fantasy debut which will addict you August 6, 2011

By brienneselwyn

Format:Paperback

My Expectations

I expected an epic fantasy story revolving around Princess Alina and Rasi including love, misunderstandings, problems with parents and society embedded in a brutal war. So nothing really new under the sun. In this case it depended all on the execution. The cover shows a warrior with a back that looks like an octopus - an interesting element which intrigued me more than the blurb.

Theme(s)

As far as I could identify The Light of Epertase houses several themes. Some of them are more obvious than others.

First and foremost Douglas R. Brown wants to entertain without a wagging finger and a moral sermon. That is done in a clever way which let the reader easily forget the omnipresent story of two lovers not accepted by their surrounding, the never aging story of David versus Goliath, the endless craving for power and the more psychological question of how do human beings react under extraordinary circumstances. The most obvious theme is the title of the series itself: Legends Reborn.

Dear me! That sounds highfalutin.

Let me say it more simple. There is a love story. There is a brutal war. There are people who do everything to gain their power. There are extraordinary beings in extreme situations. That means we face familiar themes which are intertwined in a clever way. One can't exist without the other. All that is subject of The Light of Epertase. I know, I know, I know it is nothing new but what counts is the execution.

Setting

Epertase is the continent of a fantasy world which shows familiarities with our world. The towns and hamlets reminded me of medieval Europe. It is good to have a map in order to identify the geological formations which play an important role for battle strategies.... Transport wise we have ships and horses. There are no flying objects.

On the weapon side it is getting interesting. The inhabitants of Epertase use swords, bows and and crossbows. The Teks who are the invaders use "oil" driven war machines, cannons and firearms. I would not describe it as a steampunk element. It is like two worlds colliding. This is the ultimate fight between David and Goliath.

The world is inhabited by different peoples with own culture and partial long history. There are symbiont and mutants, shape shifters, beings with supernatural abilities and there is mind talking.

The depiction of the towns and the country side are not overwhelming but efficient which means you get enough information to imagine how the world looks like.

Plot

The Light of Epertase tells several stories a once and they are all intertwined.

First we follow Rasi and learn something about him and the country. Then we meet Alina. While they both cross their ways their story is entangled by the danger of an upcoming war and the secret plans of characters who try to gain power or other who try to defend their power. And these plot lines are honeycombed with stories and spotlights of some extraordinary beings. It is simple and complex at the same time. And not to forget the supernatural factor ...

The Light of Epertase is a character driven story. And the fights and battles are the stages for real warroirs. As the story starts with Rasi followed by Alina. The story widens by adding point of views from other characters.

Character(s)

The leading characters are the warrior Rasi and princess Alina. Both are well crafted characters. You can follow their development - especially the impact of events which last only a couple of minutes - plus their inner conflicts and so on. Even if you may not agree with Rasi's action you can understand why he acts as described. At the end of the book you will know why Rasi is one of the Legends Reborn.

Beside Alina and Rasi there are several other characters on both sides where we get information about their abilities their thoughts and their actions.
All these characters are far beyond to be anemic. Of course it would be nice to get some more information about peoples and single persons. But do not forget that The Light of Epertase is the first book in a trilogy.

My favorite character is the mercenary Simcane who is a mountain of a man. He loves his country and he prefers to fight for the country and not for the king. He is a fierce fighter and as people see only his fighting qualities they underestimate his intelligence and his heart.

Style

I like the rhythm and the pace a lot. It is like an ascending sawtooth-shaped line which culminates in a climax which is not the end of the story. The end of the book is a calm down and an indication what to expect in the sequel.

I also like the alternation between thoughtful dialogues, depiction of country and inhabitants, romantic parts, fights and battles. It is done in a way which force the reader to continue.

The description of violence and romance gives the reader emotional showers. The prose fits well and is a little bit rough at times. Once a while you find a bit of humor.

Parts of the dialogues reflect mind talking. And the mix with real dialogues gives several scenes an idiosyncratic touch.

The Inevitable

The Light of Epertase delivered much more than I expected. Loveable and fascinating characters, a rich palette of emotions, action from single combat to epic battle, thoughtful dialogues, intoxicating story telling and magic.

The Light of Epertase is one of my favorite fantasy debuts in 2011 !

You want to discover a new and promising voice in the world of fantasy?
Then readThe Light of Epertase. Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars action-packed military fantasy August 2, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Paperback

In Matthew 1012, Epertase warrior Rasi is filled with regret and sorrow for the atrocities he committed under the guise of war though he tries to rationalize he was only following orders of his commander Prince Elijah. Epertase desperately conceals from his pregnant wife his despair and guilt he feels from his combat experience.

Rasi joins a celebration honoring Prince Elijah as the Light of Epertase shines on him. When he feels he can properly leave the coronation, Rasi heads home. He intercedes in an attempted rape but the hooligans kill the women. Authorities blame Rasi for the homicide and cut out his tongue and dump him into a pit to fight the rashta; shockingly he kills the beast. However the tentacles from the rashta discharge into his back. Over the next seven years he hides in the shadows until five years ago a woman began traveling with him.

The Teks invade Epertase and Lithia to take the oil they need to run their machines. Their superior firepower leads to many massacres. Although few know it in beleaguered Epertase, Rasi is the only hope but that is contingent on Princess Alina replacing her corrupt father King Elijah on the throne. Others prefer sacrificing the royal daughter to the Light of Epertase.

This action-packed military fantasy is a strong tale that hooks the audience from the onset and never loosens that grip until the final confrontation. The Epertase world is established on solid footing in the first few chapters; once the foundation is anchored, the story line turns into an extremely fast-paced read. Though the plot goes down the path readers will expect Douglas R. Brown provides an entertaining gripping thriller that is difficult to put down.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Old School Fantasy January 6, 2012

By Walter Rhein

Format:Paperback

I just finished reading "Legends Reborn (The Light of Epertase Book One)" on my new Kindle and my three word response to this book is simple: Old School Fantasy. Douglas Brown gives us a straight action story with clear-cut villains and noble heroes. It's a little bit "Conan the Barbarian" a little bit "Game of Thrones" and there's even a touch of "The Road Warrior" for those of you who are looking for a wrinkle in your fantasy.

The hero is an honorable warrior named Rasi who is pushed nearly to the brink of insanity by the horrors that befall him. On some of the youtube interviews I've seen with Brown, he seems almost gleeful about the amount of torment to which he subjects his hero.

Rasi is a pretty straight-laced hero and for those of you who are looking for a highly moral protagonist, this is the book for you. As an example, Rasi is the type of character who feels guilty about stealing a horse, even when he's in desperate pursuit of an abducted princess (who he also happens to be romantically involved with).

Early in the book, Rasi is bonded with several self-aware tentacles (he refers to them as "straps") that make him resemble Dr. Octopus. I was actually left curious as to what these tentacles are and if there are any more of them in Epertase, but I guess I'll have to wait for those answers in the second volume of Light of Epertase since Rasi is kept too busy to contemplate it in book one.

"Legends Reborn" follows Rasi's fall from revered hero to disfigured outlaw, while an invasion from a hostile, technological society allows him a shot at redemption. I also enjoyed the world building of Epertase, especially the "Lowlands" society that is based on a kind of "Brave New World" mind control....

The pace is set firmly at breakneck speed throughout the novel, so much though that at times I would have liked Brown to slow things down and give a few more details. However, I came to appreciate the "cushion" distance the author gives us from the action, since some of the events are so traumatic that they wouldn't be at all enjoyable if seen from a front row seat. Perhaps you could compare the narrative style to something like "The Call of the Wild," although "Legends Reborn" is a bit more complex.

"Legends Reborn" is a tough novel from a new author that knows classic, barbarian style fantasy. You'll be intrigued by what's included and left yearning for more! Read more ›

More About the Author

Douglas R. Brown is a fantasy writer living in Pataskala, Ohio. He began writing over five years ago as a cathartic way of dealing with the day-to-day stresses of life as a firefighter/paramedic for the Columbus Ohio Division of Fire. Now he focuses his writing on fantasy where he can draw from his lifelong love of the genre. He has been married for 14 years and has a son and two dogs.