Protector (Anniversary of the Veil, Book 1) [Kindle Edition]

Vanna Smythe (Author)

Book Description

***Now contains a revised and newly edited Prologue, which serves as a much better introduction to the story, the world and the characters!***

Duty versus love is the one battle Kae does not know how to fight.

Kae has trained his entire life to become an elite Protector of the Realm. When he finally achieves this honor he finds himself protecting something far greater: the Veil separating two worlds. On one side of the Veil lie unlimited stores of magic. On the Realm's side, magic is all but obliterated, and Kae is one of the few who can use it. The priests who secretly rule the Realm will do everything they can to control his growing magical abilities. Kae's willing to pay the price, even though it separates him from Issa, the girl he loves.

But the Veil has weakened over the last thousand years and powers on both sides will stop at nothing to keep it intact. Strangers from the other side have kidnapped Issa to take her across the Veil and sacrifice her to strengthen it. Kae is the only one who can find her. Going to her rescue means forsaking his oaths and duty, and leaving behind the future he always wanted. But if he chooses duty over love, Issa will die.

***DECISION MAKER, BOOK TWO OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE VEIL SERIES,  IS NOW AVAILABLE ***

Editorial Reviews

Review

"That this is a first novel by Vanna Smythe is quite astounding. She not only tells a wonderful story with characters you can't help but care about, she also brings her world to life. This book has certainly left me wanting more and I look forward to the next installment eagerly.
- Andy Angel of Ebookwyrm's Book Review Blog

"Smythe's world's magic, political structure, and geo-arcana are unique and the conflicts are well done. I enjoyed reading this book a great deal and look forward to the next installment."
 -  Ernie Laurence, Jr. author of Islands of Loar: Sundered

"This novel's primary strength is in its worldbuilding and the crafting of this world beyond the Veil where priests rule the king and magic is employed in strong and evil ways. Protector was an enjoyable debut and I will look forward to book two and finding out what waits on the other side of the Veil."
- Elloise Hopkins, author, book reviewer and blogger

From the Author

Never miss one of my new releases! Sign up for my newsletter now --> bit.ly/18SLnQx 

Happy reading! 

- Vanna

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 560 KB
• Print Length: 333 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477408398
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: SBV Publishing (March 9, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007J6DN2A
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #274,218 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a new series June 12, 2012

By Sparta

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

That this is a first novel by Vanna Smythe is wonderful surprise. She not only tells a great story with characters and she also brings her world to life. The developing relationship between Issi and Kae is brought on steadily and at a pace that fits well with the story -the author expresses the character feelings very well. This book has certainly left me wanting more and I look forward to the next installment eagerly.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Promising New Series April 27, 2012

By Diana A.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Indie books are often hit-or-miss, but judging by author Vanna Smythe's solid writing, you would never know that Protector falls in this category. This first installment in the Anniversary of the Veil series does a great job transporting us into its world and introducing us to the key players. It has great world-building, action, love, magic... what more could you want?

Almost a thousand years ago, the world of Protector was split in two by a magical barrier called the Veil. On the Venerated side of the Veil, people with the Life Force thrive; on the other side, anyone who displays magical inclinations is enslaved by the Priests (descendants of the Righteous). Now, as the Anniversary of the Veil approaches, a sacrifice needs to be made to keep the barrier in place. The descendants of the Venerated are already preparing for the event by gathering the people needed. On the other side of the Veil, most of this knowledge has been lost or kept hidden by the Priests.

Meanwhile, on the Righteous side, Princess Issiyanna is seemingly contacted by her mother who has been dead for years. Her Protector, Kiyarran, a young man showing lots of promise both with weapons and with the Life Force, is struggling to find a balance between his duties and the feelings he has for his charge. When Issa is kidnapped by a group sent from the other side of the Veil, Kae will find out just how far he is willing to go to get her back.

The story is skilfully written, and the characters believable. They all have distinct voices and most of them avoid being one-dimensional. Some fantasy writers have trouble finding balance in their descriptions - some get lost in the details, while others don't tell us enough. This is not a problem for Vanna Smythe, who gives us all the information we need to see the picture she is painting for us without overdoing it. I can think of one particular scene, toward the end of the book, where Kae faces the Pure Ones that felt particularly vivid.

What I enjoyed immensely about the book is the world that Vanna Smythe built. It wasn't easy to figure everything out just based on the Prologue (which was a little overwhelming), but everything came together beautifully by the end. The history of the world is hinted at, with promises of more to come in the rest of the series. The dichotomy between the two sides of the Veil was realistic and fascinating to read about. The Priests made believable power-hungry leaders, but they were balanced out by similar figures on the other side of the Veil. I liked how neither side is completely good - this makes for quality storytelling. My favorite addition to the world though, was the group of assassins known as the Pure Ones; if they're not scary, then I don't know what is. I hope there's more of them in the future.

Now, I only gave this book 8/10 on my blog. I decided to go with 5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads because I am a harsh critic and my complaints were very subjective. Some of that was because there are a few typos, which isn't uncommon for an independent book and is easily ignored in favor of the story. What I enjoyed less, however, and I think I'll be in the minority here, is the love story between Issa and Kae. They're both teenagers and so they have excuses for acting as such, plus it gives them room to grow in the coming books. Think Sansa in A Song of Ice and Fire or Egwene in Wheel of Time. But, for now, I wasn't patient enough to deal with their angst. This is my failing, not the story's, but it detracted a little from my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

Overall, Protector is a great first book in a new fantasy series. It is well written and could have easily been published professionally. Currently priced at $2.99 here on Amazon, it is a must read of you love a good story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writing; engaging story! December 31, 2012

By Thinks Books

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I met Vanna Smythe on this magical internet thingy. She was asking if anyone wanted to review her book for a book tour. It was called Protector and had a kick-ass cover, so I contacted Vanna. She was kind enough to provide me with a review copy in return for an honest review. I love it when that happens!
I must admit, while reading the Prologue, I was thinking I was totally lost. There is tons of information and characters thrown at the reader. I just kept going though because the writing was excellent. I am so glad that I did!

The author, Vanna Smythe, has a wonderful way of weaving her words into a story. The imagery and world building were stellar. The characters were believable and I could relate to their emotions. Kae is such an amazing character. I really felt empathy for him as he went through his struggles. And Issa was such a contrast of vulnerability and strength.

Protector is a book that actually requires some skills to keep up with all of the characters. At times, it seems confusing, but just go with it because as miniscule as a character may seem, they will serve a purpose. I love it when that happens!

In my opinion, Vanna Smythe has proven she is an excellent writer. Protector is the proof of that.

4 stars to Protector.

More About the Author

Vanna Smythe is the author of Protector and Decision Maker, the first two books in the Anniversary of the Veil fantasy series. She has been writing creatively since her early teens, though one could say her creative writing efforts started long before that. While still in kindergarten, she once tore up a library book to make alphabet soup, and has been fascinated with what words can do, the pictures and worlds they can create, ever since. Book Three of the Anniversary of the Veil series, is due out in Summer, 2013.