I think if you’re a fan of Percy Jackson then you’ll love this one!
Rating: 4/5
Marric Norst, a sixteen-year-old fletcher’s son is frustrated by his simple life. That changes when he meets Janis, an experienced assassin who has been hired by different parties to both protect and kill him. Soon, Marric learns of his potential as a Lightbearer—and the wide range of Light powers, including some that frighten him. Janis finds herself drawn to Marric as he discovers his new powers, but he won’t come into them until his awakening, an event which could prove fatal to him and those around him. To protect those he loves, Marric must journey with Janis to a sanctuary amidst an underground war, one in which Marric is sought after by both sides to tip the scales in their favor. Together, Marric and Janis experience intrigue, adventure, and a prophecy that may prove significant. Through it all, a simple fact drives the unlikely pair forward despite their misgivings: Marric could awaken at any moment.
I received a free digital copy of Awakened in return for an honest review from the author himself, Dan Kenner. Thank you so much for this opportunity! I loved this book! I can’t wait to dive into Transformed.
This was such a fun adventure! I had no expectations going into this and if I’m completely honest I knew very little of what it was about. But after finishing this and that ending, I so want to dive into the sequel! I have so many questions!
Going into this all I knew really was this was a high fantasy book. I’m a fantasy nerd so I was more than happy to have a chance to pick this up when the author, Dan Kenner was looking for more reviewers.
We primarily follow two characters, Marric and Janis. Janis is an assassin who finds herself being hired to actually protect someone instead of killing. That someone is Marric, a sixteen-year-old from a small village. But Janis has no idea why she’s protecting him and soon learns there are others looking for Marric as well. Marric discovers he’s actually a Lightbearer, who is expected to awaken at any moment and come into his powers.
This book flows really well, it was easy to get lost in the pages. That being said, I will admit not a whole lot happens for a majority of the first half. We’re primarily seeing some world-building as we’re explained who these Lightbearers are, who’s after Marric and why they want him. However, despite the slower pace and lack of events, I found myself never being bored as I was captivated learning about this fictional land. It was actually really interesting. It was written in a way that the world-building made up for the beginning half being uneventful.
This book flows really well, it was easy to get lost in the pages.
I really enjoyed the characters we followed, especially Janis. I loved seeing a strong female character. In a way, she reminded me a little of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, Janis had a similar demeanor. Janis was such an entertaining character to follow she was always so sure of herself and even though she attempted not to care, she wanted to make sure Marric stayed safe. Marric was a great character to see grow. At the start, he was a scared small boy, but by the end, he was so much more confident.
I really enjoyed the characters we followed, especially Janis. I loved seeing a strong female character.
From the very start, I couldn’t help but feel a similarity of Awakened to something I’d read before. It wasn’t until I was well into the book that it finally clicked. The premise of the Lightbearers reminded me of the Percy Jackson series. Those that are considered Lightbearers once they awaken receive one of seven abilities. And not everyone awakens at the same time, they all vary and Marric is considered more of a “late bloomer.” This all feels a bit familiar to how Percy Jackson was with the campers getting claimed by their God or Goddess parent.
Then, the adventure of the story itself, although I’ve read this and I barely remember much of the movie. From what I know and do remember of the movies, this book gave me Lord of the Rings vibes. Especially with the secondary characters that accompany Janis and Marric, more so on how they’re described and how they act.
Speaking of descriptions, I’ve recently rediscovered my love for the game Kingdom Hearts. And the “Darkside of the Lightbearers” that were after Marric. These guys were described to be wearing dark or black cloaks which reminded me of the characters in this video game, Kingdom Hearts.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. It was such a fun adventurous fantasy! I think if you’re a fan of Percy Jackson then you’ll love this one!
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