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Era of Undying
There hasn't been a Blood Warrior for decades. Everyone assumed they were extinct and couldn't return. Turns out they were just in hiding. Pen chose to revert back to her nomadic life after the death of her family. Life was always safer that way, away from people. Now she's been caught and odd occurrences have been happening in Ichorisis. People are surviving horrible injuries and illnesses that they shouldn't be. Now that Pen is under custody of one of the several kings she's been sent to fix the problem. Whether she wants to or not.
- GenresFantasyDark Fantasy
221 pages, Paperback
Published January 19, 2018
About the author
Emilie Knight
4 books51 followersEmilie Knight is a writer, and author of her debut Era of Undying. After years of reading fantasy and horror she combines them together into her own dark fantasy writing. Using her BA in Classical Civilizations and fascination in Ancient Greek mythology she blends it well into her fiction. Other then reading in her spare time she plays video games quiet often.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 13, 2019
Every once in a while a book comes out that rocks my fantasy world with awe at the brilliant storytelling of its author! Emilie Knight’s ERA OF UNDYING is definitely a hidden gem that proves that, yes, there was one more untold story that screamed to be written and read!
Emilie Knight packs action, heartbreak, fear and drama into the story of a woman living in the shadows of life, hiding a secret ability long thought either extinct or myth. Pen has known tragedy and survived, barely. Now, the “gift” she owns could bring peace to a world where people can no longer die. It will take being accused of murder in a most unbelievable way by a small child to give her the opportunity for personal redemption, as well as peace for long-suffering souls.
Pen is an amazing character, a loner, a little mysterious, a little broken, but truly a survivor. She isn’t filled with bravado or flashy. She holds a quiet maturity and strength that makes her magnetic! She doesn’t flaunt her “gift,” it is just part of her. Our heroine isn’t always perfect, she has a warm side and yet, if necessary, she can be brutal.
What Emilie Knight has created is a tale of a quest, of finding one’s purpose and of creating bonds in unlikely places. Often dark, but incredibly engaging, the atmosphere will envelope readers like a cocoon as each page pulls us further into a world far beyond reality.
Have you ever read a book and said, “This should be a movie,” “This is incredible!” That’s how I feel about ERA OF UNDYING! It lingered long after that last page and I was forced back to reality.
I received a complimentary copy from Emilie Knight!
Publisher: Emilie Knight (March 6, 2018)
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Print Length: 200 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Emilie Knight packs action, heartbreak, fear and drama into the story of a woman living in the shadows of life, hiding a secret ability long thought either extinct or myth. Pen has known tragedy and survived, barely. Now, the “gift” she owns could bring peace to a world where people can no longer die. It will take being accused of murder in a most unbelievable way by a small child to give her the opportunity for personal redemption, as well as peace for long-suffering souls.
Pen is an amazing character, a loner, a little mysterious, a little broken, but truly a survivor. She isn’t filled with bravado or flashy. She holds a quiet maturity and strength that makes her magnetic! She doesn’t flaunt her “gift,” it is just part of her. Our heroine isn’t always perfect, she has a warm side and yet, if necessary, she can be brutal.
What Emilie Knight has created is a tale of a quest, of finding one’s purpose and of creating bonds in unlikely places. Often dark, but incredibly engaging, the atmosphere will envelope readers like a cocoon as each page pulls us further into a world far beyond reality.
Have you ever read a book and said, “This should be a movie,” “This is incredible!” That’s how I feel about ERA OF UNDYING! It lingered long after that last page and I was forced back to reality.
I received a complimentary copy from Emilie Knight!
Publisher: Emilie Knight (March 6, 2018)
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Print Length: 200 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 15, 2023
In addition to Pen being an interesting character, I also very much enjoyed the supporting characters and the crazy situations that Pen and her cohort would get themselves into. Every character in this story added something to the plot and they were all memorable. One thing that I wish there had been more of would have been an explanation of the history of the Blood Warrior. How did they begin? Why was the first Blood Warrior given their ability? Was it a gift or was it a curse? What is the point of being a Blood Warrior? I wish that there had been time in this story to answer those questions. Overall though, Era of Undying was a fantasy that captured my imagination and had me begging for more adventures with Pen!
This review is based on a complimentary book I received from Author, Emilie Knight. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
This review is based on a complimentary book I received from Author, Emilie Knight. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
August 14, 2019
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
Era of Undying revolved around a blood warrior- Pen and her survival in the world where blood warrior were extinct, her nomadic life and adventures in the Undying world. It was about grief, guilt, accepting death and loss of loved ones, righting the wrong and adventure.
Characters–
Pen was strong, independent and fearless fighter but she was loner. Her pain of loss and guilt was undying and empathetic. Her blood magic was interesting and awed me. As I read her story I could see her gift from her perspective, it was more like curse than blessing. Her denial of death and yearn to get her loved ones back was understandable but as she got more close to her mission, she could see the right thing and started to accept the truth and reality. If you like your heroine fierce, practical and who doesn’t go down easily, you will love her.
Captain Tellus was great in the book. He had morals, ethics, was great fighter, and trusted man of king. He was stern and influential but was soft at heart. He didn’t judge Pen for what she has done and listened her story and understood her emotion. I liked him for that. He stood up for her even though he could easily turn back. I wished to see something develop between Tellus and Pen but alas, there is not romance, just friendship.
Characters were developed but they were reckless. Their story was most interesting. I liked some side characters even though they were not exactly likable.
What I Liked-
Books was third person narrative. Writing was easy to read, easy to imagine the world and follow the story. Book was fast paced and pretty short that one can read in one sitting. Plot and the world was impressive. Author drives readers right into the world of undying and blood magic.
Book started with Pen trying to rob in the countryside of Ichorisis, she got caught and ended up in prison. To be free her only option was follow king’s order, go on mission with captain Telllus to find out why people are not dying, what caused this undying era.
Their journey was adventurous and action-packed. They had to find their path based on the myth, follow the river towards its source, the land of dead, find the goddess of death, and restore the world to normal. They had to pass through thieves, thugs, bandits and cannibals who did everything to make their journey interesting and difficult.
I liked the world. People with different hair colors, interesting names for places- Ichorisis, Acheron, Skiachora, Stymphalia, Potamus, Kalymnos and some more. Most interesting was Pen’s blood magic and the main theme of the book, undying which intrigued me read more, to find out what actually happened and how Pen and Tellus are going to restore normalcy. Some scenes were dark gruesome. There was lot of blood spilling, killing, severing limbs and beheading and people not dying didn’t help. It made things even more gruesome.
I liked the message behind the story. Death is sad and miserable thing but not dying is not the blessing, at least not for those who are suffering from disease or infection or with severed limbs and heads. Both Pen and Tellus saw people’s torment and agony on their journey and through their perspective we get to know even death is important in life and so is accepting the death of loved ones, accepting natural order of life cycle.
Twist and turns and suspense was nicely written. I couldn’t guess where story was going, what might have happened, and reason of undying until the climax. The answers were surprising. End was sad and tragic, not exactly what I expected.
Why 4-
Everything was good, nicely written but it didn’t wow me! I constantly felt there’s something missing, I cannot exactly pinpoint it. Maybe because of less depth in world, there was enough information on blood magic and its history but it was not detailed. A bit longer book won’t hurt.
Overall, it was different, gripping, fast paced, dark fantasy that I will recommend to readers of this genre.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. ***
Era of Undying revolved around a blood warrior- Pen and her survival in the world where blood warrior were extinct, her nomadic life and adventures in the Undying world. It was about grief, guilt, accepting death and loss of loved ones, righting the wrong and adventure.
Characters–
Pen was strong, independent and fearless fighter but she was loner. Her pain of loss and guilt was undying and empathetic. Her blood magic was interesting and awed me. As I read her story I could see her gift from her perspective, it was more like curse than blessing. Her denial of death and yearn to get her loved ones back was understandable but as she got more close to her mission, she could see the right thing and started to accept the truth and reality. If you like your heroine fierce, practical and who doesn’t go down easily, you will love her.
Captain Tellus was great in the book. He had morals, ethics, was great fighter, and trusted man of king. He was stern and influential but was soft at heart. He didn’t judge Pen for what she has done and listened her story and understood her emotion. I liked him for that. He stood up for her even though he could easily turn back. I wished to see something develop between Tellus and Pen but alas, there is not romance, just friendship.
Characters were developed but they were reckless. Their story was most interesting. I liked some side characters even though they were not exactly likable.
What I Liked-
Books was third person narrative. Writing was easy to read, easy to imagine the world and follow the story. Book was fast paced and pretty short that one can read in one sitting. Plot and the world was impressive. Author drives readers right into the world of undying and blood magic.
Book started with Pen trying to rob in the countryside of Ichorisis, she got caught and ended up in prison. To be free her only option was follow king’s order, go on mission with captain Telllus to find out why people are not dying, what caused this undying era.
Their journey was adventurous and action-packed. They had to find their path based on the myth, follow the river towards its source, the land of dead, find the goddess of death, and restore the world to normal. They had to pass through thieves, thugs, bandits and cannibals who did everything to make their journey interesting and difficult.
I liked the world. People with different hair colors, interesting names for places- Ichorisis, Acheron, Skiachora, Stymphalia, Potamus, Kalymnos and some more. Most interesting was Pen’s blood magic and the main theme of the book, undying which intrigued me read more, to find out what actually happened and how Pen and Tellus are going to restore normalcy. Some scenes were dark gruesome. There was lot of blood spilling, killing, severing limbs and beheading and people not dying didn’t help. It made things even more gruesome.
I liked the message behind the story. Death is sad and miserable thing but not dying is not the blessing, at least not for those who are suffering from disease or infection or with severed limbs and heads. Both Pen and Tellus saw people’s torment and agony on their journey and through their perspective we get to know even death is important in life and so is accepting the death of loved ones, accepting natural order of life cycle.
Twist and turns and suspense was nicely written. I couldn’t guess where story was going, what might have happened, and reason of undying until the climax. The answers were surprising. End was sad and tragic, not exactly what I expected.
Why 4-
Everything was good, nicely written but it didn’t wow me! I constantly felt there’s something missing, I cannot exactly pinpoint it. Maybe because of less depth in world, there was enough information on blood magic and its history but it was not detailed. A bit longer book won’t hurt.
Overall, it was different, gripping, fast paced, dark fantasy that I will recommend to readers of this genre.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. ***
August 7, 2018
this review can also be found at http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pen is a Blood Warrior. She can, with a small cut, draw her blood out of her body, and use it as a weapon. Nobody knows that she is the Blood Warrior, so she's worried when she is caught after slaying a group of people, using her blood as a weapon.
There are more important things going on in her world, though. People aren't dying. The horribly sick remain alive and suffering, and the gravely injured somehow hold on to their consciousness. With the help of Tellus, captain of the city watch, she ventures out to find Nyx, a goddess she hopes can fix this problem. However, the journey won't be easy.
This was an interesting fantasy, with lots of action. I was excited to accept the author's review request because I've been getting more and more into fantasy. I was not disappointed with this book!
I thought the characters were all very interesting. Pen had gone through so many trials, dealing with being the Blood Warrior, the loss of her family, and her rough journey to find Nyx. I found her a strong and likeable character, despite her violent side. I became surprisingly attached to Tellus throughout the book, and by the end, I wanted to read more about him! I was sad when the book was over.
I found the idea of a Blood Warrior very, very interesting. The idea of creating weapons with one's blood greatly appealed to me! Furthermore, the idea of people suffering, yet not dying, was both fascinating and morbid. I love that the author explored some of the consequences of this issue, and sometimes I cringed at the idea of what people may be feeling in such a world.
I also loved the violence and fighting. I find sometimes that action or fight scenes in books seem like nothing but filler, but the violent and fighting scenes in this book all served a purpose and never felt like just a filler or fluff.
I do think that this book could have been a bit longer. I wanted to know more about Pen and Tellus. I wanted to spend more time in this world. I wanted more things to happen, more adventures and fights! I also think that this book could use another editing session, as there were many typos throughout.
Overall this was a very enjoyable fantasy read. With great fighting scenes, interesting characters, and an intriguing premise, I was not disappointed! I recommend this book to those looking for a short fantasy novel with themes of death and family.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pen is a Blood Warrior. She can, with a small cut, draw her blood out of her body, and use it as a weapon. Nobody knows that she is the Blood Warrior, so she's worried when she is caught after slaying a group of people, using her blood as a weapon.
There are more important things going on in her world, though. People aren't dying. The horribly sick remain alive and suffering, and the gravely injured somehow hold on to their consciousness. With the help of Tellus, captain of the city watch, she ventures out to find Nyx, a goddess she hopes can fix this problem. However, the journey won't be easy.
This was an interesting fantasy, with lots of action. I was excited to accept the author's review request because I've been getting more and more into fantasy. I was not disappointed with this book!
I thought the characters were all very interesting. Pen had gone through so many trials, dealing with being the Blood Warrior, the loss of her family, and her rough journey to find Nyx. I found her a strong and likeable character, despite her violent side. I became surprisingly attached to Tellus throughout the book, and by the end, I wanted to read more about him! I was sad when the book was over.
I found the idea of a Blood Warrior very, very interesting. The idea of creating weapons with one's blood greatly appealed to me! Furthermore, the idea of people suffering, yet not dying, was both fascinating and morbid. I love that the author explored some of the consequences of this issue, and sometimes I cringed at the idea of what people may be feeling in such a world.
I also loved the violence and fighting. I find sometimes that action or fight scenes in books seem like nothing but filler, but the violent and fighting scenes in this book all served a purpose and never felt like just a filler or fluff.
I do think that this book could have been a bit longer. I wanted to know more about Pen and Tellus. I wanted to spend more time in this world. I wanted more things to happen, more adventures and fights! I also think that this book could use another editing session, as there were many typos throughout.
Overall this was a very enjoyable fantasy read. With great fighting scenes, interesting characters, and an intriguing premise, I was not disappointed! I recommend this book to those looking for a short fantasy novel with themes of death and family.
March 16, 2022
Era of Undying by Emilie Knight is dark fantasy about Pen, the last Blood Warrior, who has recently lost her son and husband. She is caught up in a quest when the people of her world stop dying. Pen, along with her quest partner Tellus, journey to the Underworld to meet with the goddess of death, Nyx, to find out why people aren’t dying.
I really enjoyed this book, especially once the quest started because it’s like the worlds worst road trip. I thought Pen was a well created character and I would def love to read more about her. I would have liked more worldbuilding because I was curious about all the different hair colors and if, like, some were more valued than others but there is a prequel and a sequel coming so more worldbuilding is out there. Overall, I thought this was a neat fantasy novel!
I really enjoyed this book, especially once the quest started because it’s like the worlds worst road trip. I thought Pen was a well created character and I would def love to read more about her. I would have liked more worldbuilding because I was curious about all the different hair colors and if, like, some were more valued than others but there is a prequel and a sequel coming so more worldbuilding is out there. Overall, I thought this was a neat fantasy novel!
March 3, 2021
4.5/5
For a first book by an author this is pretty dam good. A power that I personally have never heard or thought off. A main character who isn't perfect and no romance so the story was the main focus and I loved that!!
I do think the ending ended a little too abruptly, to the point where it didn't seem like a cliffhanger or that the series ended it felt like the author just stopped writing
For a first book by an author this is pretty dam good. A power that I personally have never heard or thought off. A main character who isn't perfect and no romance so the story was the main focus and I loved that!!
I do think the ending ended a little too abruptly, to the point where it didn't seem like a cliffhanger or that the series ended it felt like the author just stopped writing
September 30, 2018
My rating: ❤❤❤❤of 5!
Length: 191 pages
Published: January the 19th 2018.
Written by: Emilie Knight
Series: Standalone.
Source: Free physical copy generously provided by the author.
Disclaimer: Emilie Knight got in touch with me, via my blog, and offered to send me a free copy of her book in exchange for my honest review. However, all opinions are my own and are in no way swayed by the authors generosity.
The blurb:
I usually categorise myself as a romance reader, with capital R's through and through. However, this year I've so far read more fantasy than I have since I discovered Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle back in 2007! So, when Emilie got in touch with me, and I saw the gorgeous cover, there was no doubt in my mind. I had to read this! I just had to know this woman, that to me looked like a kick-ass version of Little Red Riding Hood. Then I read the blurb, and I honestly only made it to "Blood Warrior" before I was completely sold.
The Era of Undying is about Pen, a female Blood Warrior, and her life which is filled with action, heartbreak, angst, drama and very few happy moments. In short I think the best way to describe her lot in life is: Greek Tragedy - which is also very fitting, considering there's some aspects of Greek Mythology woven into the tale.
Since the death of her husband and son, Pen is living a lonely and miserable existence from meal to meal. She's ruthless when she has to be and when we meet her, she almost seems like she's getting sloppy. Leaving witnesses that has seen her work her blood magic, which she's fought so hard to keep a secret.
After being taken captive the king sends Pen and his most trusted Captain on a mission: break the Era of Undying. As it is right now, no one can die. People stay alive, even after being executed. The king himself is no exception, his body is decaying but he cannot die. Pen sees an opportunity at redemption for past, and accidental, evils. So she agrees to go, but when they set out on the mission she has her own agenda. Bring her husband and son back to life. However, as their journey takes unimaginable twists and turns, her bond to Captain Tellus changes to one where it almost looks like they trust each other.
Pen is a great character, one of the greatest in my opinion. She's a mysterious loner who despite of losing everything, fights hard to stay alive. What I liked most is that she's not above feeling fear or making mistakes, but yet she pushes forward even when everything seems bleak at best. Captain Tellus is harder to like. Or at least he was for me. Even though, he's Pen's companion on their quest, he reads more as a secondary character. The more Emilie reveals about him, the most likeable he is. And yet, when the story ended I still didn't feel like I truly knew him.
Length: 191 pages
Published: January the 19th 2018.
Written by: Emilie Knight
Source: Free physical copy generously provided by the author.
Disclaimer: Emilie Knight got in touch with me, via my blog, and offered to send me a free copy of her book in exchange for my honest review. However, all opinions are my own and are in no way swayed by the authors generosity.
The blurb:
There hasn't been a Blood Warrior for decades. Everyone assumed they were extinct and couldn't return. Turns out they were just in hiding. Pen chose to revert back to her nomadic life after the death of her family. Life was always safer that way, away from people. Now she's been caught and odd occurrences have been happening in Ichorisis. People are surviving horrible injuries and illnesses that they shouldn't be. Now that Pen is under custody of one of the several kings she's been sent to fix the problem. Whether she wants to or not.
I usually categorise myself as a romance reader, with capital R's through and through. However, this year I've so far read more fantasy than I have since I discovered Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle back in 2007! So, when Emilie got in touch with me, and I saw the gorgeous cover, there was no doubt in my mind. I had to read this! I just had to know this woman, that to me looked like a kick-ass version of Little Red Riding Hood. Then I read the blurb, and I honestly only made it to "Blood Warrior" before I was completely sold.
The Era of Undying is about Pen, a female Blood Warrior, and her life which is filled with action, heartbreak, angst, drama and very few happy moments. In short I think the best way to describe her lot in life is: Greek Tragedy - which is also very fitting, considering there's some aspects of Greek Mythology woven into the tale.
Since the death of her husband and son, Pen is living a lonely and miserable existence from meal to meal. She's ruthless when she has to be and when we meet her, she almost seems like she's getting sloppy. Leaving witnesses that has seen her work her blood magic, which she's fought so hard to keep a secret.
After being taken captive the king sends Pen and his most trusted Captain on a mission: break the Era of Undying. As it is right now, no one can die. People stay alive, even after being executed. The king himself is no exception, his body is decaying but he cannot die. Pen sees an opportunity at redemption for past, and accidental, evils. So she agrees to go, but when they set out on the mission she has her own agenda. Bring her husband and son back to life. However, as their journey takes unimaginable twists and turns, her bond to Captain Tellus changes to one where it almost looks like they trust each other.
Pen is a great character, one of the greatest in my opinion. She's a mysterious loner who despite of losing everything, fights hard to stay alive. What I liked most is that she's not above feeling fear or making mistakes, but yet she pushes forward even when everything seems bleak at best. Captain Tellus is harder to like. Or at least he was for me. Even though, he's Pen's companion on their quest, he reads more as a secondary character. The more Emilie reveals about him, the most likeable he is. And yet, when the story ended I still didn't feel like I truly knew him.
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May 28, 2018
I enjoyed this fantasy. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will be looking for more of her stories as I really enjoyed this book.
August 26, 2018
Thank you to Emilie Knight for providing me with a copy of Era of Undying in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.
Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Depression, and Violence
I rarely —if ever— hear about books where there is blood magic involved, so anytime I do hear about blood magic in books, I am all over them.
Honestly, I loved Era of Undying. As a side fact, I love that Pen’s hair is dark purple, and that there are lots of other characters with wildly different colours as well–green, blue, etc..
I really enjoyed that this story is fast paced, and I like that while the story isn’t too detailed, a lot is left to the imagination of the reader. A side note though: Era of Undying is a little macabre, so if you do end up reading it, you have been warned.
Something that surprised me about Era of Undying was that there were two points of view. We first read from Pen, who -by the way- is awesome. We learn a bit of Pen in this story, and though I can’t quite put my finger on how to properly describe her character… “resilient” will do for now! And then we read from Tellus’ (is his future friendly??) point of view. I realized after finishing Era of Undying that I kind of miss his character.
The characters we meet along the way are great, too. I enjoyed getting to meet the people that Pen met. I won’t say more than that, lest I spoil the book!
What I liked about this novel was the fact that the action starts almost -if not- right away! I live for books that have action right off the get-go. Books that have action right when I start reading are the books that keep me reading until the final page.
I am not one to end up liking a book where the last sentence is practically ended mid-scene. However, the ending of Era of Undying was a great one. I like that the book ends as it does, that way the reader (if they so choose) could imagine the rest of Pen’s life.
Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Depression, and Violence
I rarely —if ever— hear about books where there is blood magic involved, so anytime I do hear about blood magic in books, I am all over them.
Honestly, I loved Era of Undying. As a side fact, I love that Pen’s hair is dark purple, and that there are lots of other characters with wildly different colours as well–green, blue, etc..
I really enjoyed that this story is fast paced, and I like that while the story isn’t too detailed, a lot is left to the imagination of the reader. A side note though: Era of Undying is a little macabre, so if you do end up reading it, you have been warned.
Something that surprised me about Era of Undying was that there were two points of view. We first read from Pen, who -by the way- is awesome. We learn a bit of Pen in this story, and though I can’t quite put my finger on how to properly describe her character… “resilient” will do for now! And then we read from Tellus’ (is his future friendly??) point of view. I realized after finishing Era of Undying that I kind of miss his character.
The characters we meet along the way are great, too. I enjoyed getting to meet the people that Pen met. I won’t say more than that, lest I spoil the book!
What I liked about this novel was the fact that the action starts almost -if not- right away! I live for books that have action right off the get-go. Books that have action right when I start reading are the books that keep me reading until the final page.
I am not one to end up liking a book where the last sentence is practically ended mid-scene. However, the ending of Era of Undying was a great one. I like that the book ends as it does, that way the reader (if they so choose) could imagine the rest of Pen’s life.
August 1, 2019
Read more at www.yourwordsmyink.com
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Era of Undying is a really unique and gripping read. What really drew me into this book was the worldbuilding. It's a unique world and I love joining the characters as they navigated it. Knight's descriptions are beautiful and vivid, and the action scenes were some of my favourites.
Pen's Blood Warrior powers are so unique, it reminded me a bit of blood-bending (I am a huge ATLA fan) and I enjoyed the descriptions of it. Knight's writing is really easy to read and the plot of the book is fairly easy to follow.
My only qualms were with the characters (I'll get to that in a minute). Other than that, this book has tremendous potential and I cannot wait to read more of Knight's writing.
I couldn't really connect to the characters. I found Pen difficult to get along with at some points. However, she is a strong, mysterious character with a tragic past and she handles herself beautifully. She has a certain maturity about her and I loved it. Maybe that's why I couldn't connect to her, I'm just not that adult yet xD.
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Era of Undying is a really unique and gripping read. What really drew me into this book was the worldbuilding. It's a unique world and I love joining the characters as they navigated it. Knight's descriptions are beautiful and vivid, and the action scenes were some of my favourites.
Pen's Blood Warrior powers are so unique, it reminded me a bit of blood-bending (I am a huge ATLA fan) and I enjoyed the descriptions of it. Knight's writing is really easy to read and the plot of the book is fairly easy to follow.
My only qualms were with the characters (I'll get to that in a minute). Other than that, this book has tremendous potential and I cannot wait to read more of Knight's writing.
I couldn't really connect to the characters. I found Pen difficult to get along with at some points. However, she is a strong, mysterious character with a tragic past and she handles herself beautifully. She has a certain maturity about her and I loved it. Maybe that's why I couldn't connect to her, I'm just not that adult yet xD.
June 11, 2021
Well thought out blood magic and a twisted Greek myth
TW: self harm, animal death, violance/gore, grief & death.
This is dark fantasy so their are likely more TWs that I can't think of of the top of my head. (No SA though, which was nice)
(I bought all three books during a sale the author did on Amazon so I knew bits and pieces from the summary of the next two but I still at a fun time),
this book was shorter than I expected but was still fun and interesting book, I really liked how the blood magic works in this world it feels well thought out. It has limits and dangers that all made a lot of sense.
Once I realized this was a greek myth (and which one) I kinda knew where the book was going but that didn't take away from the final and there was still enough twists and emotion to keep me happy and invested.
It felt a little rushed at times but over all didn't effect my enjoyment of the story
I'm very excited two read the next two books.
(I haven't done a public review before so sorry it's it's not very good)
TW: self harm, animal death, violance/gore, grief & death.
This is dark fantasy so their are likely more TWs that I can't think of of the top of my head. (No SA though, which was nice)
(I bought all three books during a sale the author did on Amazon so I knew bits and pieces from the summary of the next two but I still at a fun time),
this book was shorter than I expected but was still fun and interesting book, I really liked how the blood magic works in this world it feels well thought out. It has limits and dangers that all made a lot of sense.
Once I realized this was a greek myth (and which one) I kinda knew where the book was going but that didn't take away from the final and there was still enough twists and emotion to keep me happy and invested.
It felt a little rushed at times but over all didn't effect my enjoyment of the story
I'm very excited two read the next two books.
(I haven't done a public review before so sorry it's it's not very good)
July 11, 2021
This was a great book. Very entertaining.
September 19, 2018
Era of Undying was such a fascinating read! It was one of those that I read in one sitting and wished it had been longer! It was dark, intensely unique, and exciting! It offered themes of death, heroism, and justice, and was wildly entertaining.
Emilie Knight took me on a journey of sadness through a richly developed world. There were vivid details on every page, and twists and turns that made me feel, and made me want more! The story was bold and deep and took me completely by surprise!
I loved Pen and the originality behind her character. Without giving spoilers, I’ve never met a character that had abilities like hers. Not only did she have an insane ability, but she also had a very interesting, and scientifically biological, weakness. But, beyond her ability, and weakness, she felt real. She was strong and brave, and completely lost and vulnerable at the same time. She was beautiful, and I could see her becoming a beloved, kick ass character in a series like Celaena/Aelin.
This story reminded me a little of Beowulf. It had its own mix of mythology and horror alongside a heroic journey. It was a violent, gothic tale, that felt like it could have been told alongside Beowulf, or even The Odyssey. It had such vivid details that really brought it to life and made it into a new myth all its own. But, I also felt like it could have been an amazing graphic novel because of the nature of Pen’s ability, the intriguingly violent deaths, and the way I could visualize the entire story as I was reading it.
Era of Undying was unique and refreshing. I wish it were longer. I wish it were a series. I could see myself getting addicted to the world and the character of Pen. I already see myself re-reading this because it was action packed and gritty and so full of rich details that I know I would find things I missed the first time! I loved it and highly recommend it!
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for me honest review!
Emilie Knight took me on a journey of sadness through a richly developed world. There were vivid details on every page, and twists and turns that made me feel, and made me want more! The story was bold and deep and took me completely by surprise!
I loved Pen and the originality behind her character. Without giving spoilers, I’ve never met a character that had abilities like hers. Not only did she have an insane ability, but she also had a very interesting, and scientifically biological, weakness. But, beyond her ability, and weakness, she felt real. She was strong and brave, and completely lost and vulnerable at the same time. She was beautiful, and I could see her becoming a beloved, kick ass character in a series like Celaena/Aelin.
This story reminded me a little of Beowulf. It had its own mix of mythology and horror alongside a heroic journey. It was a violent, gothic tale, that felt like it could have been told alongside Beowulf, or even The Odyssey. It had such vivid details that really brought it to life and made it into a new myth all its own. But, I also felt like it could have been an amazing graphic novel because of the nature of Pen’s ability, the intriguingly violent deaths, and the way I could visualize the entire story as I was reading it.
Era of Undying was unique and refreshing. I wish it were longer. I wish it were a series. I could see myself getting addicted to the world and the character of Pen. I already see myself re-reading this because it was action packed and gritty and so full of rich details that I know I would find things I missed the first time! I loved it and highly recommend it!
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for me honest review!
June 9, 2018
I was eager to read this novel as the synopsis struck me as something right up my alley.
I found that Pen was well-crafted as a heroine. I like that she's a strong role model and that she's very human in that she has some obvious flaws. This was especially well-executed. In fact, I think character development overall is a big strength of this author.
The world-building left a lot to be desired for me. I found the details of this world vague and a bit bizarre: the juxtaposition of Classical Mythology with a Medieval-type world where people have some unusual hair colours. I found names (people or places) were linguistically inconsistent - some were clearly drawn from Greek while others came from totally different linguistic bases, and there was no explanation for the variety. I think it would have been more effective to work within the same language base and re-name the Deities to fit in this foreign world, but make them recognizable to those who do read classical mythology through their legends and corresponding symbols.
There are also a bunch of editing concerns that should have been addressed. This includes things like typos, but there are also places where there are too many repeated words or where the wording is awkward and stilted, which really detracts from the story.
I think the basic plot is really solid and interesting - this reads very much like the beginning of a series as there are many unanswered questions. I probably would give a subsequent installment another chance based on the strength of the story.
I received a free copy through Voracious Readers Only.
I found that Pen was well-crafted as a heroine. I like that she's a strong role model and that she's very human in that she has some obvious flaws. This was especially well-executed. In fact, I think character development overall is a big strength of this author.
The world-building left a lot to be desired for me. I found the details of this world vague and a bit bizarre: the juxtaposition of Classical Mythology with a Medieval-type world where people have some unusual hair colours. I found names (people or places) were linguistically inconsistent - some were clearly drawn from Greek while others came from totally different linguistic bases, and there was no explanation for the variety. I think it would have been more effective to work within the same language base and re-name the Deities to fit in this foreign world, but make them recognizable to those who do read classical mythology through their legends and corresponding symbols.
There are also a bunch of editing concerns that should have been addressed. This includes things like typos, but there are also places where there are too many repeated words or where the wording is awkward and stilted, which really detracts from the story.
I think the basic plot is really solid and interesting - this reads very much like the beginning of a series as there are many unanswered questions. I probably would give a subsequent installment another chance based on the strength of the story.
I received a free copy through Voracious Readers Only.
November 20, 2018
Era of Undying was the perfect fantasy, epic adventure read! Knight created an amazing story filled with a compelling story line, epic heroine and overall a great read for any adventure and fantasy genre lover. I always enjoy books with fantastical elements but I've never read a book that included a different type of magic, blood magic.
In the world of Era of Undying there are a group of warriors who use the very blood in their veins as a weapon. With a simple cut, the warriors are able to compel their blood to take form into any shape they like and fight with it. How cool is that?! However these heroic Blood Warriors have seemed to disappeared and are only whispered as legends. Pan our heroine happens to be one of the the Blood Warriors, apparently the only one left. After losing her family, she chooses to live solitude and wants to stay under the radar. But when she is thrust back into the daily lives of the Kingdom and forced into custody of the Kings, things get messy and Pan has a number of hard choices to make.
I loved this book! Although it was a short read, I devoured it and immediately fell in love with Pan and the wonderful world of Era of Undying! If you're a fantasy and magic book lover, this book is definitely for you!
Full Review: https://amorettesreviews.com/
In the world of Era of Undying there are a group of warriors who use the very blood in their veins as a weapon. With a simple cut, the warriors are able to compel their blood to take form into any shape they like and fight with it. How cool is that?! However these heroic Blood Warriors have seemed to disappeared and are only whispered as legends. Pan our heroine happens to be one of the the Blood Warriors, apparently the only one left. After losing her family, she chooses to live solitude and wants to stay under the radar. But when she is thrust back into the daily lives of the Kingdom and forced into custody of the Kings, things get messy and Pan has a number of hard choices to make.
I loved this book! Although it was a short read, I devoured it and immediately fell in love with Pan and the wonderful world of Era of Undying! If you're a fantasy and magic book lover, this book is definitely for you!
Full Review: https://amorettesreviews.com/
October 13, 2018
I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
It's been quite a while since I read such a good fantasy book! To be honest every time I start a new fantasy book I do have some expectations formed in my head, and this book successfully avoided all the cliche I was expecting to find and it felt like a fresh breath of air.
It is a short book, but it manages to achieve so much in 200 pages. There is suspense, drama, adventures, great characters (and awesome side characters), plus a lot of action! I am not sure how Emilie Knight did it, but she created a great world, with impressive gods, plus an amazing and mature main character.
I was pulled in from the first pages and it never ceased to surprise me - I really want to talk about a particular scene, but I am not gonna because no spoilers and I really want you guys to be just as surprised! To be honest, there were a lot of surprising moments and they don't stop until the end.
Promise to polish this review and rewrite it when I post in on my blog, but until that happens! You have to read it!
Thank you Emilie for sending me this book! This was first physical copy of an ARC, but this has not affected my opinions.
It's been quite a while since I read such a good fantasy book! To be honest every time I start a new fantasy book I do have some expectations formed in my head, and this book successfully avoided all the cliche I was expecting to find and it felt like a fresh breath of air.
It is a short book, but it manages to achieve so much in 200 pages. There is suspense, drama, adventures, great characters (and awesome side characters), plus a lot of action! I am not sure how Emilie Knight did it, but she created a great world, with impressive gods, plus an amazing and mature main character.
I was pulled in from the first pages and it never ceased to surprise me - I really want to talk about a particular scene, but I am not gonna because no spoilers and I really want you guys to be just as surprised! To be honest, there were a lot of surprising moments and they don't stop until the end.
Promise to polish this review and rewrite it when I post in on my blog, but until that happens! You have to read it!
Thank you Emilie for sending me this book! This was first physical copy of an ARC, but this has not affected my opinions.
May 27, 2021
“Era of Undying” begins with a prologue that did not set up the narrative in any meaningful way. Regardless of that minor oversight, the narrative is decently delivered from a third person perspective, and follows a linear structure as the main character’s storyline unfolds. I was under the impression that Knight struggled a bit when developing the magic in this book. As a “Blood Warrior”, Pen can manipulate her blood at will (so long as she has an open wound) to take shape of various solid objects. When Pen was finished wielding her blood as weapons or tools, she’d return the blood to her body, but before she can do that she has to make sure it is “clean”. Of course being a reader with a basic understanding of bacteria and blood borne pathogens, I found this aspect of Pen’s magic quite disengaging. There wasn’t much time invested in character development and I never really felt as vested in the plot as I could have been. I was often wondering what the Blood Warriors’ significance was within the world. I thought “Era of Undying” was okay as a straightforward and mostly dry adventure tale, and I appreciated the nods made to Greek Mythology.
Read my full breakdown here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
Read my full breakdown here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
August 17, 2018
For the past three months people have stopped dying and no one knows why. The last blood warrior, someone able to control their blood outside their body, and the captain of the city watch are sent to fix the problem. Blood warrior Pen is still figuring out her powers as she's only had them since the night her husband and son died. Along their journey, Pen and Tellus encounter many people suffering from not dying but will they be able to stop it?
I really enjoyed this book, the idea of someone controlling their blood is a very cool idea. Pen uses it as different types of weapons, a lock pick, and more. I also liked the relationship between Pen and Tellus. They formed a trusting friendship that wasn't ruined with romantic feelings. I felt for Pen's losses, and the story of how they came about was heartbreaking to read. I look forward to hearing more of Pen's adventures, and rated this four out of five stars.
I really enjoyed this book, the idea of someone controlling their blood is a very cool idea. Pen uses it as different types of weapons, a lock pick, and more. I also liked the relationship between Pen and Tellus. They formed a trusting friendship that wasn't ruined with romantic feelings. I felt for Pen's losses, and the story of how they came about was heartbreaking to read. I look forward to hearing more of Pen's adventures, and rated this four out of five stars.
January 21, 2020
Pen is a blood warrior and is sent to figure out why nobody is dying anymore. Along with Tellus they set out to find Nyx to discover the truth but what will it cost them?
This was an interesting idea and it delivered well on the premise. It was a little lacking in the details of the blood warriors. I would have liked to know more about them. Although short this book packs a lot in, it's pretty sad at times too. The ending for me was not what I wanted but it did fit with the story and made sense. I liked the friendship that began to develop between her and Tellus. A good read.
This was an interesting idea and it delivered well on the premise. It was a little lacking in the details of the blood warriors. I would have liked to know more about them. Although short this book packs a lot in, it's pretty sad at times too. The ending for me was not what I wanted but it did fit with the story and made sense. I liked the friendship that began to develop between her and Tellus. A good read.
June 2, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this story; the plot was fun and engaging and it was nicely written. I’ll watch out for other books by this author.
I really enjoyed this story; the plot was fun and engaging and it was nicely written. I’ll watch out for other books by this author.
August 29, 2020
Pen, the MC is so cool. I've never read a book that gave the heroine such an intriguing gift. This Dark Fantasy is fun and keeps moving right along with no slowdown.
January 9, 2019
- I received a copy of this book from the author.
The Era of Undying is a little bit like Avatar the Last Airbender meets Torchwood Miracle Day (which I still haven't finished watching yet.) Pen is a Blood Warrior, a person who can use their own blood as a weapon, basically bending it to her will to use as a whip, a lock pick, or to harden and use a sword or ax. But because of persecution of the previous Blood Warriors Pen keeps her gift a secret, attempting to live on the edges of society.
Added to that is the fact that people haven't been able to die recently. They are surviving terrible illnesses and injuries (even beheading) without dying. Even the King is not immune. It seems that the goddess of death has gone AWOL. As the Blood Warrior Pen may be the only one who can survive a trip to the underworld to figure out whats going on and return death to the world.
It's a very interesting and intriguing premise for a story.
The story hits the ground running and doesn't let up. The energy in the writing really held me, causing me to speed through it. I enjoyed the characters, the world building and the mix of mythology in the book. Pen and Tellus are an interesting pair each with complicated emotional backstories and motivations.
The author does a great job playing the "what if" card in the undying scenario, each person handling it according to their own morals and ideals. Some praise it as a gift, others as a curse, some seek to take advantage of it and others dive into despair.
Bottom Line:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Era of Undying. The action didn't let up and the twists kept me interested.
The Era of Undying is a little bit like Avatar the Last Airbender meets Torchwood Miracle Day (which I still haven't finished watching yet.) Pen is a Blood Warrior, a person who can use their own blood as a weapon, basically bending it to her will to use as a whip, a lock pick, or to harden and use a sword or ax. But because of persecution of the previous Blood Warriors Pen keeps her gift a secret, attempting to live on the edges of society.
Added to that is the fact that people haven't been able to die recently. They are surviving terrible illnesses and injuries (even beheading) without dying. Even the King is not immune. It seems that the goddess of death has gone AWOL. As the Blood Warrior Pen may be the only one who can survive a trip to the underworld to figure out whats going on and return death to the world.
It's a very interesting and intriguing premise for a story.
The story hits the ground running and doesn't let up. The energy in the writing really held me, causing me to speed through it. I enjoyed the characters, the world building and the mix of mythology in the book. Pen and Tellus are an interesting pair each with complicated emotional backstories and motivations.
The author does a great job playing the "what if" card in the undying scenario, each person handling it according to their own morals and ideals. Some praise it as a gift, others as a curse, some seek to take advantage of it and others dive into despair.
Bottom Line:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Era of Undying. The action didn't let up and the twists kept me interested.
January 8, 2019
The cover was confusing until I realized the woman was a blood warrior and read more about it. That is the main character, Pen, using her Blood Magic to create a sword. The summary was compelling and I knew I would enjoy this read.
Things I didn’t like:
Spelling/Grammar
This is one issue that really gets to me in books. I understand that we are all human but when the problem is more than a word here or there misspelled, it distracts me from the reading. There were many instances where the same word was used repeatedly or the wording is strange. Those things pulled me away from the story a few times.
Things I liked:
Character Development
I think this is one of the best things about this story. The main character was well developed but was allowed flaws. Allowing her to make mistakes makes her more relatable, more real. Pen is a prime example of a strong heroine and I loved following her along her journey.
Other characters are also very well thought out but they did not stick with me as much as Pen did, which would be expected since she is the main character. Tellus is there as well but just doesn’t have the same pull as Pen does.
Plot/Pace
I think this read almost as if there should be a sequel. It is very well done, compelling. It is very rare that I hear of a book where Blood Magic is used so this was new and exciting. I will add that with using this magic comes self-harm. Those who are bothered by that need to be aware that this happens each time she wants to use her powers. I do have to say though, how cool is it that you can use your blood to forge weapons and basically…defend yourself! That is such an awesome premise.
Final Thoughts
This book is a very unique idea that is well executed, a fast-paced action story with a very real, flawed character. I think that Pen is the strongest aspect of this novel and she really makes this a character-driven novel. Era of Undying does leave a lot of unanswered questions so I am hoping to see a sequel where I can continue traveling with Pen. It was very refreshing to read something unlike most fantasy novels that are in the public eye at the moment.
Things I didn’t like:
Spelling/Grammar
This is one issue that really gets to me in books. I understand that we are all human but when the problem is more than a word here or there misspelled, it distracts me from the reading. There were many instances where the same word was used repeatedly or the wording is strange. Those things pulled me away from the story a few times.
Things I liked:
Character Development
I think this is one of the best things about this story. The main character was well developed but was allowed flaws. Allowing her to make mistakes makes her more relatable, more real. Pen is a prime example of a strong heroine and I loved following her along her journey.
Other characters are also very well thought out but they did not stick with me as much as Pen did, which would be expected since she is the main character. Tellus is there as well but just doesn’t have the same pull as Pen does.
Plot/Pace
I think this read almost as if there should be a sequel. It is very well done, compelling. It is very rare that I hear of a book where Blood Magic is used so this was new and exciting. I will add that with using this magic comes self-harm. Those who are bothered by that need to be aware that this happens each time she wants to use her powers. I do have to say though, how cool is it that you can use your blood to forge weapons and basically…defend yourself! That is such an awesome premise.
Final Thoughts
This book is a very unique idea that is well executed, a fast-paced action story with a very real, flawed character. I think that Pen is the strongest aspect of this novel and she really makes this a character-driven novel. Era of Undying does leave a lot of unanswered questions so I am hoping to see a sequel where I can continue traveling with Pen. It was very refreshing to read something unlike most fantasy novels that are in the public eye at the moment.
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