Running from Destiny

New Beginnings, Book 1

By: M.A. Rothman

Narrated by: Tim Campbell

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's Summary

Eighteen-year-old Jason Rogers’ life is turned upside-down when he finds himself in the custody of an unnamed government agency that is falsely accusing him of being responsible for the explosion that caused the death of his parents.

Anya is 17 - a teenager who wishes she could be normal for once - but she’s not. A secret government agency, headed by none other than her father, knows how to leverage the dangerous capability she was born with. All goes well for her until one of the agents turns on her. 

Jason and Anya find themselves an unlikely duo as one escapes from an unjust incarceration and the other runs from the people who betrayed her. Ultimately, Jason’s escape makes him confront who and what he has become. Was his destiny really written in a musty tome over a thousand years ago? Anya’s trust for those she holds most dear wavers as she realizes betrayal may have fatal consequences. Trying to run from the burden of his destiny, Jason learns it could cost him not only his life, but Anya’s as well. 

And the fate of the world lies in the balance.

©2020 M.A. Rothman (P)2021 Podium Audio

good could be great

this book has potential but doesn't quite reach it. the characters move really fast in this book. we go from kinda scared kids with no clue what is going on to, well I guess this is my life now most of the books problems are left to be solved at the end of the book not when there meaningful in the book. I mean the book wraps everything up in the last 2 hours of the book not though out the book it makes it feel rushed. the good parts are the story's overall premise and idea .

disappointed

paid for the 2nd book thinking it would pick back up and it has nothing to do with the first book. I want my credits back on the 2nd book now. it's like the book just started to get interesting and ended with no conclusion. can't believe the 2nd and 3rd book have nothing to do with book 1. don't waste your time. could of been a great series.

Where Is The Next Book?

The only bad thing bad this book is it was finished before I knew it. I soooo wasn't ready for it to be over.

Another Home Run by M.A. Rothman

M.A. Rothman is becoming one of my favorite modern fantasy writers. He has a unique talent for writing interesting characters/relationships and blending traditional fantasy with modern settings.

I also love the way he blends science and academia into his fantasy stories. As someone with a degree in linguistics, the parts about linguistics professors had me rolling on the floor, because it’s so spot on. Lots of corny language jokes (“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.” , “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.”) and getting excited over technical terms used to describe speech sounds (plosives, fricatives, and don’t even get me started on glottal stops or clicks).

The premise of the constant struggle between order and chaos being expressed through various religions is a pretty cool concept, although I wish there were more references to religions not part of the big 3 Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). I also wish there was a bit more ambiguity than chaos = evil and order = good. I appreciated the reference to big business using lies and greed to indirectly bring good to more people, but some other examples of chaos leading to good outcomes or order leading to evil outcomes would have been awesome.

I also like the followers of Lilith as a sort of neutral party mostly following chaos but able to be swayed by either side. There are some plot holes regarding them that I’d like to see filled (if they want to reproduce so bad without hurting others, why not start a sperm bank and practice artificial insemination? Would even indirect impregnation magically suck the life essence out of the man? That’d be better than not even considering it, given that modern corporations are seen advancing the causes of each side in the struggle of order and chaos, so why not modern solutions to this magical problem?). Overall I really like the dynamic, though.

Finally, I liked the tie-ins to our heroes from the last set of books, and expanding on different types of magic. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Uhg

Sadly this story had potential but the author dropped the ball. Its just another cliche MC who supposedly gets accepted to Yale but acts more like a 12 year old than a high-school graduate. The book starts off well but the entire middle half of the book felt like mindless filler just to bump the word count. I suppose if you can get it for free and just need some background noise it's okay.

Not very good

I'm just too jaded. Started off dumb, became ridiculous foreven as a 12 year old.

Great start no sequel

Author developed a story line with potential. The two main characters, Jason and Anya have separate stories that can join to become one. The author ended the story with a cliff hanger that looks like it will never be finished. Jason waiting for Anya to return. Anya off to be tested with no word on her fate. Books 2 and 3 have no connection with book 1 to show Jason and Anya's story.

scarily misleading

as a Christian I found the basis this story and it's predictive themes menacing and very u easy considering it us a YA product. I have enjoyed previous MA Rothman books and was looking forward to continuing my journey but I will not be reading any more. the story was bitty and rather too blunt with the fanciful/fantasy/SF themes tendrils drawn rather thin.