Elseerian

The Chronicles of Lumineia, Book 1

By: Ben Hale

Narrated by: Derek Perkins

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

The assassination of heroes was once a warning... for an invasion that nearly destroyed the world. Nations were slaughtered, cities were erased from existence, and defending armies were crushed into oblivion. In weeks, all life stood on the verge of extinction. But the end did not come. Instead the black horde vanished, leaving terrified survivors... and rumors. As the centuries passed the holocaust faded into legend, and finally myth. Across the southern sea a gifted young man is completing his training. To him the war is forgotten. To the world a warning goes unheeded. And the killings have already begun.

©2012 Ben Hale (P)2013 Podium Publishing

Critic reviews

"Well written... highly detailed." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Ingenious and immersive." ( Best in Fantasy)

Fun and well written classic fantasy

Fun and well written classic fantasy. Though the firsr book is mostly about an half-elf named Taryn and the race of elfs, I know for sure that in the coming books other races like dwarves, orcs, goblins and trolls will also make an appearance.
Definitely worth a read.

A gem out of nowhere!

Would you listen to Elseerian again? Why?

Yes. I hope the next two book are as good.

What does Derek Perkins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Fantastic narrator. Very very impressed. I especially enjoyed his pacing - some narrators are slightly too slow or too fast. He gives the main characters thought processes a decisive and methodical approach which reflected the main character well.

Any additional comments?

Excellent action but WITHOUT loads of gore and shock and awe. Sometimes I felt the main character was a little too crazy awesome, but every time I started to think this, a vulnerability to his character would appear. Cannot wait for the next two books - already pre-ordered both!

Really Good Start to a New Series 4.5 Stars

I saw this one had good ratings, so I decided to give it a try. I have been looking for books to fill the time until the next Michael J Sullivan book comes out, and with this one, I was not disappointed. While not superb, it is really really good and worth a credit if you enjoy fantasy. I cannot wait for the next books in the series to come out and will definitely be getting those as well.

If Tolkien and Terry Brooks had a book-baby

I love this book. It is an excellent beginning to a traditional fantasy, save the world story. It is clean and well thought out. The characters are fun and engaging.

Don't fear the Reaper

If you could sum up Elseerian in three words, what would they be?

Starts very slow.

Any additional comments?

This story starts very slow. If you can get threw that. It finishes strong. Sets you up for the next books .Which I will be checking out.

Excellent listen!!!

Another excellent story from Ben Hale and another great listen from Derek Perkins. If you're a fan of fantasy books then you will enjoy this story. Jack Myst is the greatest!!!!

Still excellent

Okay so getting used to the narrator took a few chapters, but that aside the book itself is still as excellent as when I read it. Mr. Hale writes a story that reads more like an action movie instead of a book. It's awesome. However, the accent of the narrator after knowing the writer is American just - yeah that took a little bit of adjustment for my brain. Once I was past that and sucked back into the story though, it didn't really matter on the accent.

I'd still recommend listening to The List Unseen first though as it gives insight to things going on in this trilogy so it would make more sense. I mean you could read/listen to it after the trilogy, but you'd still have a lot of questions. Just my opinion there though.


I do have one slight complaint on the narration though. Just a small one that really doesn't detract from the story. The voices of the characters could have been better. Most sound so similar it's hard to tell which is talking or not. Also some younger characters sound much much older and some older characters sound much younger. This is more just my own personal preference for narration and nothing to do with the quality.

One dimensional LOTR knock off

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would develop all of the characters a good deal more. There is only one distinct desire that anyone has in the book. Other than that, it's just a display of powers.

What do you think your next listen will be?

No idea

What about Derek Perkins’s performance did you like?

He had a wonderful voice, and fantastic cadence. It's how I got through the book, I would imagine.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

The book was deeply shallow. It utilized the low hanging fruit of fantasy tropes without bringing them life. I could not tell you what any character wanted, beyond the lead. I could not tell you what any character looks like, or what their personalities are like. By the end, when they're announcing imminent doom for the land they live in, I rolled my eyes.

Great Story & Great Narrator

This is my 1st time listening/reading Ben Hale's work and I LOVED it!!! Very thorough and very captivating. I loved this 1st book getting to know the characters and not leaving me hanging too much at the end. It left me knowing there is more to come and that the characters have even more developing to do.
I am an AVID fan of Kevin Hearne's "Iron Druid" series...I did not think I would really want to read/listen to another "fantasy" type book of this sort, but after meeting Ben in Florida at Indie Book Fest and then deciding to give his books a try - I am definitely a FAN...
GREAT story - interesting Characters and GREAT Villain...Perfect balance of human, magic & power...
I plan to download the 2nd book right away!!!
I look forward to finding out HOW it goes down...
NOT a waste of time to check this one out...Worth every minute!!!

Thank you Ben.

This book left me both impatient and content

First thoughts about the cover of Elseerian: The Chronicles of Lumineia, Book 1? A man carrying a knife in each hand being stalked by red glowing eyes and a scythe. Interesting.

Is the man a hunter? A fighter? A mercenary? Is that death stalking him, or is it a sign that he brings death?

The main character is Taryn. He is part elf, part something else. He is stronger, faster, and is excellent with several types of weapons. Almost the perfect weapon in human form. What takes away from his perfection? He hesitates on taking a life. That helps make him that much better of a person. Less of an assassin type, more of a person that has faults and fears.

Liri seems to be the secondary main character. *Spoiler alert* She’s an elf princess. She’s also an absolutely great marksman with a bow. She’s Taryn’s best friend. Her ability to put people at ease and be social help show us how awkward Taryn is in social situations. It’s a lovely contrast. She is strong, witty, and a great partner for Taryn.

The Narrator is Derek Perkins. He has a lovely accent. It’s soothing and kind of poetic. Think favorite reading spot, warm tea and honey, and whatever favorite reading cookie that brings you comfort. That is his voice. That is how his voice soaks in and soothes.

And as for his voice being compared to a favorite reading cookie? You can never settle for just a little. The Author is Ben Hale. This book is 12 hours long.The story starts with a nice suspense, but then slows for awhile. Once it gets going again, it picks up the pace and helps hold the attention. Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Pirates, and many more different people are in this story. The back story of Taryn being an orphan and the story having the underlying of him trying to find answers of his heritage help keep the reader and/or listener hooked in and wanting more. Thankfully there are more books in The Chronicles of Lumineia storyline.

This book left me both impatient and content. Impatient for more of this story. And content because it made me happy. It is a great book. Loads of well written fight scenes, witty banter, and a young love lurking at the edge. Not a lot of gore, perfect for the mid-teen and up reader. Would definitely suggest it to others.

Audiobook provided for review by the publisher.

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