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The Immortal Circus (Cirque des Immortels Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 2,343 ratings

Murdered contortionists aren’t exactly what Vivienne signed up for when she ran away to join the circus. But like most things under the big top, nothing is what it seems. With a past she can't quite remember, Vivienne finds that running away forever might not be as appealing as it once sounded—because forever means something quite different at the Cirque des Immortels.

Aided by her friends Kingston—a feisty stage magician whose magic is quickly stealing her heart—and his sarcastic assistant Melody, Vivienne finds herself racing against the clock to discover the culprit behind a series of deaths that should be impossible. However, the answer she seeks might reveal more about her own bloody past—and future—than she bargains for.

The show's just beginning.

Step right up...

The Immortal Circus is the first book in the Cirque des Immortels trilogy.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Talk about an imagination! …All in all it turned out wonderfully…Though I’ve read other novels with a circus theme, this one certainly comes off as unique…We are just scraping the surface for what the future will bring.” ―yoururbanfantasy.com

Review

“Talk about an imagination!…all in all it turned out wonderfully…though I’ve read other novels with a circus theme, this one certainly comes off as unique…we are just scraping the surface for what the future will bring.” -yoururbanfantasy.com

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009ZCGIL4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ 47North (December 4, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 4, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 840 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 237 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 2,343 ratings

About the author

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A. R. Kahler
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Alex is many things, but first and foremost, he's a Sagittarius.

He's taught circus in Amsterdam and Madrid, gotten madly lost in the Scottish wilderness, drummed with Norse shamans, and received his Masters in Creative Writing from Glasgow University. And that's the abbreviated list.

He is the author of THE RUNEBINDER CHRONICLES, THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS, THE PALE QUEEN, RAVENBORN, and much much more. He also writes middle grade under the pseudonym K.R. Alexander.

He is represented by Brent Taylor of Triada US Literary.

Personal Site : http://www.arkahler.com

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
2,343 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the story brilliant, engaging, and well-written. They describe the book as a quick, well-paced read that keeps them interested. Readers also find the characters interesting and compelling. Opinions are mixed on the mystery content, with some finding it unique and convincing, while others say it's hard to follow. Reader opinions are mixed also on the pacing, with those who find it dark and exciting, while those who feel it'll be jerky at times.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

282 customers mention "Story quality"266 positive16 negative

Customers find the story brilliant, engaging, and well-written. They say the characters are interesting, fascinating, and magical. Readers also mention the book is a great read with creative and good ideas.

"This is a fast paced, sexy as hell, romantic supernatural mystery that combines so many magical elements it creates this thrill ride that you hope..." Read more

"...I thought the story was well told & while I found that I was yelling at the very end because I wanted more answers, I take that to mean that I was..." Read more

"...The world was highly fascinating and I enjoyed how particular elements of well known lore is slightly changed to meet the needs of modern time...." Read more

"...being cliché or tired and all of the characters are fascinating and magical, straight from mysterious little girl Lilith with her cat Poe, to the..." Read more

92 customers mention "Readability"92 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, quick, and well-written. They say it's a light read that hooks them in and keeps them reading. Readers also mention the storyline is unique and the plot is fast-paced.

"This is a fast paced, sexy as hell, romantic supernatural mystery that combines so many magical elements it creates this thrill ride that you hope..." Read more

"...It reads without being cliché or tired and all of the characters are fascinating and magical, straight from mysterious little girl Lilith with her..." Read more

"...The story line is unique and the plot fast paced. All in all a great read! Enjoy!" Read more

"...Good story, interesting heroine and character of Mab. Pretty fast moving and easy read. Fun." Read more

84 customers mention "Character development"67 positive17 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and compelling. They also appreciate the descriptions and imagery.

"...It reads without being cliché or tired and all of the characters are fascinating and magical, straight from mysterious little girl Lilith with her..." Read more

"...This book has a wonderful mix of mystery, fantasy and unusual characters...." Read more

"...wait.. sounds familiar ..."The characters are believable, the plot is very well written, the story keeps moving forward and the climatic..." Read more

"...this story had some really unique points, but in the end the lack of character depth really brought me out the story." Read more

11 customers mention "Difficulty to put down"8 positive3 negative

Customers find the book difficult to put down and easy to fall into. They also appreciate the nice character development.

"...part, this one is richly detailed in description & definitely is easy to fall into and be swept away...." Read more

"...don't like fantasy novels (which is me) ..... the book is still a good, easy, read...." Read more

"At first hard to follow then immediately impossible to put down! Way too short, waiting to read the next one." Read more

"...But I actually did like it, and it was hard to put down." Read more

67 customers mention "Mystery content"45 positive22 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the mystery content. Some mention the story is unique, interesting, and convincing. Others say it's sometimes hard to follow and muddles the details.

"...She is sexy incarnate. She is dark, deceptive, and yet I feel drawn to her like a magnet...." Read more

"...I'm not usually one for fantasy but this is very well done & descriptive. Vivienne is a normal cotton candy vendor in a very eclectic circus troupe...." Read more

"...I also became frustrated at some points because of the constant flood of unanswered questions. Much more so than usual with this genre...." Read more

"...This book has a wonderful mix of mystery, fantasy and unusual characters...." Read more

26 customers mention "Pacing"18 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's great, dark, and twisted, while others say it'd be a bit jerky and choppy.

"...She is sexy incarnate. She is dark, deceptive, and yet I feel drawn to her like a magnet...." Read more

"...The ending of the book was well done and had enough of a cliffhanger to leave me intrigued, but not so much that I feel like I have to read the next..." Read more

"...I felt it was a bit jerky at times like a cheap carnival ride trying to keep the momentum going...." Read more

"...The circus world that Kahler's created is beautiful, dark, dangerous, and sexy. There were a few creative and good ideas sprinkled through the book...." Read more

14 customers mention "Story pace"0 positive14 negative

Customers find the story pace slow, rushed, and repetitive. They also say the suspense is killing them.

"...There was/is a predictability to the story line, I figured out who was the "bad person" quite early...." Read more

"...in, in a whirlwind of rich imagery and vivid scenery, but the story line is fast paced and not deep enough to support a full novel...." Read more

"...The story line became a bit repetitive and I found myself saying, let's on with this...." Read more

"The beginning of the story was slow and uninteresting. I found myself trying to get through the reading to get to the good parts...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2013
This is a fast paced, sexy as hell, romantic supernatural mystery that combines so many magical elements it creates this thrill ride that you hope will never end!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the circuses we grew up on had this type of allure to them? Magicians that capture our minds with spells, while the fey like performers capture our eyes with their graceful moves. Oh what a wonderful world indeed that would be!

Lucky for us, Mr. Kahler created a world with these very powerful beings who can transform everything around us with just a blink of the eyelid. From the very first page, we are thrust right into the dark world of the Cirques de Immortales where a performer has been murdered. Right away, we get a glimpse of the dangerous side to this profound group of circus performers.
It is told from Vivienne's standpoint, so we are kept in the dark, only learning things as she learns them. There are a few times we are privy to certain conversations between other characters that help us see a little bit more into everyone's parts that they are destined to play.
I liked Vivienne for the most part. There were times she seemed a little naive concerning the background info on the other members of the circus, but in her defense she had a lot on her plate so I guess that could be understandable.
Besides our main character, the others are an interesting lot too. Kingston is a heartthrob indeed! Every time I hear his name, I imagine this tall gorgeous man wearing a top hat (magicians have to have their top hats) and an overcoat with no shirt open. Oh goodness me!
I, personally, love our leader of the Immortal Circus, Mab of the Winter Court. She is sexy incarnate. She is dark, deceptive, and yet I feel drawn to her like a magnet. Mab has this pull which is probably why everyone found their way to her; she knew their weakness and this is how she is able to get the "contracts" from them.

The plot threads in the story are addictive. Everyone knows that The Winter Court despises the Summer Court and yet things are not as they seem. I wouldn't label Mab as good in the book; but I could not give the Summer Court Fey this title either. Both courts are devious and only interested in their own means. After reading the book, though, I found it hard to root for the Summer court. The winter court had some very amazing creatures helping them, even though they could have been terrifying, it still was enjoyable to see them working together helping the circus.

There is so much more to come in these books I am going to be biting my nails waiting on the next book to come out. Mab has many dark secrets up her sleeves and I am terrified for what Vivienne has to play in the future of the Immortal Circus.

I highly suggest you come to the circus, where your inhibitions can be released as you experience a magically induced sensual journey into one of the most secretive and dark fantasies to come to the pages of a book.

I wholeheartedly give The Immortal Circus five hearts!
35 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2012
Just finished the first installment & I like it so far. I'm not usually one for fantasy but this is very well done & descriptive. Vivienne is a normal cotton candy vendor in a very eclectic circus troupe. I'm not sure Kingston/Melody are a couple in the way Viv thinks & I hope we get back to the murder of Sabina that the story opens with very soon. I'm wondering if she had a breach of contract & can't wait to find out what's going on. I've already had enough of how good looking Kingston is & am hoping Vivienne gets to know him more in depth so the reader can. Mab's fascinating & her past with Penelope & Lilith has me captivated. I'm looking forward to the next part.

*It's a little strange to rate a serial. The work isn't finished but I still think it's worth rating/reviewing in parts. I'll update this as I finish installments.

~~~~~~~
12.19.2012

Just finished the second installment & I'm still enthralled. It feels like something big is coming and while this leg of the journey wasn't full of thrills or answers, it felt solid. There's still no definitive answer to what took Sabina & we have another murder along the way. I have to know more about the Summer King & the conflict with Mab's court. I'm also eager to find out what is up with Vivienne. She's fainted & lost time but doesn't seem concerned about that anymore. She also seems rather relaxed about not quite recalling the terms of her contract. I'm disturbed for her. I'm worried for Mel, she's sick & no one really seems to care, except Kingston, who can't fix it. I'm quite interested in the relationship between Kingston & Mab. Seems like they're tied by magic & lots of time. Lillith remains a curious one but I give the benefit of the doubt any girl who rolls with her cat, no matter how odd.

As with the first part, this one is richly detailed in description & definitely is easy to fall into and be swept away. The parts with Alligator Alley & Paul's contract terminating were fantastically memorable. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

~~~~~~~~
01.02.2013

Loved the Wheel & everything having to do with the Dream Trade that Kingston revealed. Given the turn of events in the last two chapters, I'm at a complete loss about what is going on with Vivenne. Split personality? Unreliable narrator? Doppelganger? Jinx? Harlequin? Jester? Faerie Sydney Bristow with wiped memory? I have no idea but I'm quite excited to find out.

~~~~~~~
01.15.2013

Finally some info on Vivienne's contract! That was compelling. As was the backstory bits on Kingston. Lilith is the one I'm most interested in now because I don't know what's up with her & Kingston. And also, Lilith took care of Senchan & he deserved every spark & ember for what he did to Poe. Still no clear answers as to who exactly is responsible for the murders but I'm glad Mel is on the mend (I was worried about her).

~~~~~~~~~~

01.29.2013

I read this in installments as it was a Kindle Serial & I enjoyed the format & the story. Every two weeks, I was eager to get the new part & read it on the same day. I thought the story was well told & while I found that I was yelling at the very end because I wanted more answers, I take that to mean that I was well hooked & still want to know more. That last revelation of Vivienne's had me almost up in arms wanting answers. After weeks of reading I was hoping for less cliffhanger & more of tied off story. If the story continues in another serial or regularly formatted novel, I will be reading it.
19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Shariq Fayaz
3.0 out of 5 stars Nice
Reviewed in India on March 7, 2022
Good book.
Michael Wilbur
2.0 out of 5 stars This is an interesting book but rather strange writing style. There is action at the end of each chapter. But without description of the actual action the next chapter starts after the action without actually describing what took place.so it is up to the reader to figure out what happened
Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2017
This is an interesting book but rather strange writing style. There is action at the end of each chapter. But without description of the actual action the next chapter starts after it has taken place. It is up to the reader to figure out what happened.
Claire Ogden
5.0 out of 5 stars Circus LOVE
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2016
Have you ever started a book and been transported instantly to a land of make believe by the end of the first sentence? being consumed by each and every letter on the as page time is suspended and reality ceases to exist? Yes? then welcome to the world of Cirque des Immortels.

A debut, this is the first adult novel that Kalher has written introducing us to the world of his colourful characters, vivid colours, magic and mayhem. This is the first novel I have read by Kalher and after finishing that last sentence I purchased Act Two and Act Three and divulged immediately onto the next saga.

My imagination played a very important role as I read through this novel, I had a sense of belonging, feeling I was the living the storyline along with the characters or at the very least watching them on set or as a film. The storyline was magnetic it drew me close and left me hungry for more. This novel was more to me that a storyline, I had ran away to the circus joined the characters and lived in the moment. During reading this series I began to collate a pinterest board of anything carnival theme, simply to visualise the imagery running riot in my mind, always having had an appreciation for the art form of the circus I now put visuals to words whilst reading Kalher's novel which really brought the story to life.

I agree with many reviews that imply this work could sit between a Young Adult / Adult category but to be fair I enjoy YA reads as much as any. The story is very fantasy based with a dark foreboding edge, a dark menace underlining complete with a paranormal hue.

The characters are so varied. Mab, the 'ringmaster' is a fiery creature if ever there was one, she is one to be wary of, playing a very dominant role throughout I imagine she is certainly very young mans ideal dream woman, she portrays the 'dominatrix' persona very efficiently indeed.

The plot of this debut novel revolves around Viviene. We discover about her past and her relationship within the circus, is she simply a pawn in the bigger picture? is she made of stern stuff and destined for bigger things? As the series progresses so does Vivien, she endures an extremely unique journey, most certainly one to behold with twists and turns you do not see coming a mile away.

Of course, there is the loving budding romance, now who doesn't love a good romance, but is this really as it seems? is there an ulterior motive and does Kingston really feel the same way? what about Mab or Melody how do they feel about him?

We must not forget the magic, there is plenty of magic too.

If you love the circus or circus themed stories these are for you, if you want to live in a total fantasy based world for a few hours, step right up, a unique trilogy that keeps you rooted to the page and turning them twice as fast.

Not for everyone, but if you can appreciate the arts, the magic and something a little out of the ordinary give this series a whirl. I can't recommend them enough. In my opinion Kalher has captured this world of magic and mystery perfectly....including murder and love.

I am running off to join the circus....
2 people found this helpful
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javelinx
4.0 out of 5 stars Faszinierende Geschichte, zu viele offene Fragen
Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2014
"The Immortal Circus" umfaßt den ersten Teil einer Trilogie paranormaler Fantasy, die zuerst als Kindle-Serial veröffentlich wurde.

Vivienne Warfield hat das getan, was sich viele nicht trauen - sie ist von zuhause weggelaufen, hat ihr altes Leben hinter sich gelassen und sich einem Wanderzirkus angeschlossen. Nun verkauft sie Zuckerwatte und lebt am Rande des aufregenden Alltags der Akrobaten, Zauberer und Verwandlungskünstler. Der abenteuerliche Spaß wird bitterernst, als eine der Akrobatinnen mit durchschnittener Kehle aufgefunden wird - und es soll nicht der einzige Todesfall bleiben, und erst recht nicht das einzig merkwürdige Ereignis im "Cirque des Immortels"...

Eins muss man der Geschichte lassen - der Leser wird sofort in den Bann der Zirkuswelt gezogen, die atmosphärisch dicht geschildert wird. Kein Wunder, ist der Autor doch selbst Artist und seit vielen Jahren mit diversen Zirkustruppen weltweit unterwegs. Genial in die lebensechte Zirkuswelt eingeflochten, die nicht nur vom Namen der Truppe an den "Cirque du Soleil" erinnert, kommt immer mehr Übernatürliches zutage. Vivienne kommt immer mehr Unerklärlichem auf die Spur, jede ihrer Beobachtungen wirft neue Fragen auf: Die Verwandlungskünstler sind wirkliche Gestaltwandler, die nicht nur dem Namen nach unsterblich sind, Magie ist mehr als nur ein paar Tricks, und vor allem der Magier Kingston lässt Viviennes Herz höher schlagen. Nur macht es ihr immer mehr zu schaffen, dass sie sich an ihr Leben vor dem Zirkus überhaupt nicht mehr erinnern kann, und einiges, was im Zirkus vor sich geht, wirkt sehr unheimlich und bedrohlich.

Der Plot gewinnt sehr lange viel Spannung von diesen offenen Fragen und immer neuen Geheimnissen. Die Vermischung von Urban Fantasy und klassischen Elementen ist nahtlos mit der Zirkus-Atmosphäre verquickt, und dass die männliche Hauptfigur auch einiges für Romantik-Fans bietet, rundet den attraktiven Mix ab. Der Autor verzichet erfreulicherweise darauf, aus der Handlung einen Jugend-Krimi mit übernatürlichen Elementen zu machen.

Leider läuft die Handlung innerhalb der Zirkustruppe dann doch in gewohnten Bahnen, die man aus vielen anderen Geschichten kennt. Das wäre noch in Ordnung, nur leider übernimmt sich der Plot immer mehr mit den vielen Rätseln und Geheimnissen. Anstatt einiger Antworten gibt es den wohl unausweichlichen Kampf zwischen zwei übernatürlichen Parteien, den man aus vielen anderen Geschichten kennt (da es sich um ein zentrales Element der Handlung dreht, möchte ich hier nicht mehr verraten). Dies wird mit einigen überraschenden magischen Verflechtungen immerhin originell und abwechslungsreich geschildert.

Dass die Heldin, die zunächst erfrischend anders schien, plötzlich besondere Fähigkeiten aufbietet, kennt man ebenso schon zur Genüge, so dass die vielversprechende Geschichte zum Schluss hin leider abfällt und nicht ganz halten kann, was der Anfang verspricht. Dies dürfte nicht besonders überraschen, schließlich gibt es schon eine Fortsetzung auf dem Markt, da will man die Leser wohl bei der Stange halten.

Die Geschichte ist gut genug, dass sie sich nicht zu solchen Tricks hätte herablassen müssen; mir zumindest hat es eher die Lust auf den zweiten Teil geschmälert. Dennoch ist die Story lesenswert; auch wenn sie inzwischen nicht mehr als Kindle-Deal des Tages angeboten wird, lohnt es sich, sie herunterzuladen.
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Rachael
5.0 out of 5 stars A very different (but good) story
Reviewed in Australia on May 15, 2014
A. R. Kahler as done an amazing job, very different type of book, I loved getting into the characters they were so much fun

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