Lichgates: Book One of the Grimoire Saga (a Young Adult Fantasy Series) [Kindle Edition]

S.M. Boyce (Author)

Book Description

"The writing is flawless. The kingdoms and surrounding landscapes breathtaking. The Grimoire is a piece of imaginative genius that bedazzles from the moment Kara falls into the land of Ourea. -Nikki Jefford, author of the Spellbound Trilogy



Spring 2013 Rankings

#6 Kindle Store | #1 Science Fiction & Fantasy | #1 Epic Fantasy | #1 Sword & Sorcery | #1 Teens



Now an international Amazon bestseller. Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre.



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Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things: Ourea.



Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother's recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With nothing to do, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book's untamed power. Discovered by Ourea's royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict - a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn't trust anyone... but she's being hunted and can't survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.



For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.



Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.



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Novels in the Grimoire Saga:

Lichgates (#1)

Treason (#2)

Heritage (#3) - Available Fall 2013

Illusion (#4) - Available Fall 2014

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Grimoire Trilogy has the potential to be a cult classic the likes of the Lord of the Rings."

-The Eternal Scribe {Reviews}

From the Author

The Grimoire Saga has been a work in progress since 2006, and is by no means small. After you finish the book, you can continue your journey into Ourea with the tons of extras I offer on the book's website, The Grimoire Online (TheGrimoireBooks.com).

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 634 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1939997062
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Caffeinated Books Publishing; 3rd edition (October 15, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005W5L38G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #6 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Epic
  • #7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Sword & Sorcery

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Grimoire Trilogy has the potential to be a cult classic the likes of The Lord of the Rings. November 8, 2012

By the eternal scribe

Format:Kindle Edition

Lichgates is a fresh, well-written, well-edited Indy-published novel that takes you through the extraordinary events that surround Kara, a human who stumbles upon a world filled with magic and terrifying creatures - many of whom would just as soon see her dead or use her for their own selfish aims.

Kara is an ordinary person, that lived an ordinary life, and such is not equipped for what lays ahead of her. Some choices will lead to tragedy, others... well she's always getting into trouble actually. Her smart mouth and independent American ways don't always lend well to diplomacy. The story revolves around her role as "The Vagabond". I found it interesting that she used this word for her role as it frequently had negative connotations throughout history. For example, in Middle English, its meaning was criminal, very apropos.

Braeden, her companion through the book, is a likable character I found myself frequently rooting for and loving the irony caused by his dichotomous role. And yet, he leaves you frequently wondering if his own ulterior motives will bring tragedy to the heroine. This tug of war between his own contrary intentions, whether conscious or not, brings a level of tension and angst to their relationship that Kara is entirely unaware of for much of the story, making me want to scream at her to be careful around him, to not trust him.

I liked that the hero of this story is actually a heroine and how Boyce handled the problems involved in her interacting with frequently patriarchal societies. Most of the stories of this type contain a male lead (Tolkienn's Frodo and Bilbo Baggins and Brandon Sandersen's Kelsier to name a couple). It seems I'm always looking for video games and stories where there is a female lead.... It's refreshing and leads to interesting road blocks on the road toward eventual success. Talking of road blocks, another element that makes this novel interesting is that the road blocks are not all from a centralizing symbolic evil (e.g. Mordor from The Lord of the Rings). Her role as Vagabond is not a simple symbolic role with a single connotation for all, but a mixed heritage with a dense past she is largely unaware of throughout the novel, complicating her goals.

The Grimoire Trilogy has the potential to be a cult classic the likes of The Lord of the Rings. The book is filled with impressive imagery, the world coming to life in the readers' minds with ease. The characters are alive and different, bringing both the everyday world and fantasy upon each other with little difficulty. I found myself practically (even literally) giggling as I bubbled with excitement to see what would come next. I think you will too. Read more ›

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lichgates Take June 18, 2013

By Cheri L.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Lichgates: Book One in the Grimoire Saga by S.M. Boyce is a richly imagined fantasy which introduces readers to the strange and dangerous world of Ourea. The characters are nuanced and complex and Boyce isn't afraid to drive them up a tree and throw rocks, or knives for that matter, at them in order to raise the tension level. Her imagery, though occasionally odd, is vivid and pulls the reader deeper into the story. Kara as issues and troubles most can relate to: guilt over the death of a loved one, the challenge of knowing which is the right decision in a world of difficult choices. Braeden, with his hidden past and conflicting loyalties is somehow still admirable and sympathetic. The double themes of choices and trust are universal and beautifully explored.

The only drawback in this book is that Boyce occasionally mixes her images in a way that is counterintuitive. Each time she assigned an auditory sensation to a visual image, it made me pause and go, "huh?" a little bit. Still it wasn't nearly enough to stop me reading the rest of the book, which I enjoyed immensely. I hope you will too.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story! October 26, 2011

By Leslye Ann

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Grimoire is an amazing story. The characters are interesting and well developed. I found myself thinking about them all day long. The main character Kara, a naive teen, finds herself suddenly in a strange world and in a position of power. She must grow up quick or die. Her sidekick, Braedon has a dark side (or does he?)... and is charming, handsome and mature for his age. The book is fast pace and action packed. The ending came too soon and left me anxious for the release of the next book in the series. An absolutely enjoyable read!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome read! November 18, 2011

By Rebecca Neilsen

Format:Kindle Edition

This book was awesome and a total joy to read. The characters were intriguing and the story kept you in it's grip right to the last page. The writing flowed so well you were swept along with the story. I can't wait for the next in this series!!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative and Creative!!! January 27, 2012

By Masugar32

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It amazes me how someone could be so creative to invent a world, keep track of characters, what they do, and where they live. Each character being able to accomplish different magic and living in different worlds. I don't normally read these types of books I'm a fan of the murder mystery/suspense as you can tell from my reading list so I wasn't sure going into this book if I was going to like it or not. I'm glad I took the time to read it because I thought it was GREAT! Can't wait to read the next one and see where the characters go next.
Read full review on my website [...]

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Review: The Grimoire - Lichgates by S.M. Boyce February 27, 2012

By Robert Zimmermann

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Grimoire: Lichgates is the first book in The Grimoire Trilogy. In this first book the author, S.M. Boyce, throws Kara (the main character) and the reader into an entirely new work called Ourea. To get to this world, Lichgates are necessary. They are portals linking our world to the dangerous, yet beautiful, kingdoms of Ourea. They are scattered all over both worlds and it is through one of them in the Rocky Mountains that Kara stumbles.

Upon falling into an underground library, Kara finds waiting for her an old red leather book. The book is very magical. On it is a necklace with a pendant that looks like four crescent moons configured in the shape of a four-leaf clover. This book is so magical that there are blank pages throughout, but when asked the right questions the pages flip to sections and words appear with an answer.

This book is one of Kara's only defenses against what lies in wait for her in Ourea. Upon opening the book, she has become the center of every kingdom's focus; she is the Vagabond. Her purpose in this strange world is to reunite the four kingdoms in peace, fulfilling the goal of the first Vagabond who died a thousand years before.

This concept really caught me from the beginning. Like I said I was hooked from reading the first chapter alone. It takes a lot to do that with most books. Part of what kept me reading was the fact that this book doesn't wait to get the reader into the action. There is no lead in chapters, no foreshadowing, no mercy. Kara is hiking one minute and in Ourea fighting for her life the next. Every time throughout the book it seems that there will be some time to relax (for the characters and readers alike) something happens. It's almost impossible to put this book down.... Lucky for me I was able to force the book down, which allowed me to savor every experience it held; there are many.

I loved many elements of this book. First off, the setting made me want to visit Ourea. I know this is impossible (not only because it's not a real place) because if I went there, I'd most likely die (more on that soon.) Ourea is like the worlds of most fantastical stories. It has its beautiful landscapes, luxurious castles, and even a dreary kingdom no one wants to acknowledge. Its landscapes include forests, a kingdom nestled on top of a vertigo inducing multi mile high cliff, and even a kingdom found in a magical dome on the bottom of an ocean guarded by sharks. And it's not just the places themselves that I fell in love with, it's the way Boyce's words describe them. I can't do it justice in my own words, you'll have to take my word for it or read the book. Her words paint a picture of every aspect allowing the reader to soak in the images.

The setting wasn't the only exciting part of the book. There are also the various creatures of the land. To mention a few there are griffins, dragons, something Kara says is similar to a squirrel, and one of my favorites a flaer named Rowthe. I liked him a lot because he's a huge dog like creature. Of course he has a unique ability, but I'm going to let you find that one out, it's just really cool.

The characters Kara encounters are very hard to figure out. This helps the story be what it is more than anything else. The Grimoire from the beginning warns Kara that she can't trust anyone in Ourea. A lot of the times it seems like the characters can be figured out and trusted, but then there's either a subtle or drastic hint to the contrary. As a reader I was always jumping to conclusions about a character only to change my opinion soon after. I'm still waiting for a character to make a turn for the worse, but we'll see if that happens.

Kara's journey takes the reader all over Ourea and she meets a variety of good and evil. She even has encounters with the evil King, Blood Carden. He is the father of Kara's companion Braeden. I guess I should have mentioned him by now. Carden is the ruler of the Stele, the banished kingdom who reeks havoc on Ourea even through a banishment. Braeden, his son, escaped from his father's kingdom twelve years earlier and has been hiding elsewhere ever since. But the ever present question in my mind was whether or not he was one to be trusted. When would the evil in his blood consume him, if at all? For most of the book I kept liking and trusting him, but wanted to keep an eye on him for Kara's sake (not that I could have helped here, that's just silly she's in a book.) There is also a growing connection between Kara and the mysterious Braeden which leads to some complications in the relationship of him as protector and one of her few friends.

To wrap this up, The Grimoire: Lichgates is on my top five favorite books I have read this year and possibly in recent years. I keep reading great books so this list should be extended to at least ten. I loved the story, I loved the setting, I loved everything about this book. The only problem that I had with it is that I didn't have the next book to read. I only hope that the day comes when I can read book two, then book three, sooner than it will. Read more ›

More About the Author

S.M. Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction novelist who also dabbles in contemporary fiction and comedy. Her B.A. in Creative Writing also qualifies her to serve you french fries. She updates her blog (smboyce.com) a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning.