Grayrider by Bruce Skye

Grayrider

Volume One of the Deathsong Chronicles

By: Bruce Skye

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Eloquent Books (October 28, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606935011
ISBN-13: 978-1606935019

To describe Grayrider in one sentence: An old world mythical fantasy, with a nice dose of romance thrown in.

Honestly, I am not an experienced reader of this type of genre - or at least I have never taken the time to really read a story of this sort. Not for any particular reason, mind you, I have just never really done so. With that being said, I greatly enjoyed Grayrider. I was thrilled to be able to take part in Bruce Skye's virtual tour and am completely hooked! I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out.

Mr. Skye does a phenomenal job bringing his characters and their surrounding to life. The dialog aides the reader in the ability to fall into the story and seems to be very true to life for that time period.

I truly loved the character of Gabriel (aka Grayrider). He is a blend of strength, compassion, moral integrity and a force to be reckoned with. He begins the story with a heart filled with revenge, however it does not take long for that revenge to be turned into a sense of duty. After losing his beloved parents to murder, his main focus is to avenge their death. That is until he nearly faces his own death and realizes that he must take care to keep himself alive in order to overcome the main threat to the kingdom - the evil sorceress Morrigan. It is through this victory that Gabriel will not only save the kingdom, but avenge the death of those he has lost.

The long thought dead daughter of King Airell, Deirdre, appears in the beginning, bringing with her, a dire warning of impending danger. She and Gabriel quickly form a bond and the strength of her magical powers lend an irreplaceable defense against the many battles and attacks that take place. It is the greatness of this pure power and the strong developing love between Gabriel and the sorceress, Deirdre, that lead them both, along with the King's army, to fight for all that is good and overcome the evil powers of Morrigan.

Grayrider is excellently written, smooth and engrossing. The reader is easily transported back into a different time and place and quickly connected to the characters. Never is there a dull or lagging spot within the story. Readers will also be surprised with the twist that the ending takes. This is a story that hooks one from the first page until the very last. I greatly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great story - even if this is not your typical genre - I think you will be very happy that you took the time to delve into this old world mythical fantasy!

*overall rating 4/5

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Product Description:

Fantasy meets medieval magic in Grayrider. This novel spans the gamut—think Tolkienesque with a suspense-filled punch of chivalry! This is story-telling at its best where kings, sorceresses, and memorable heroes create an impression that you’ll remember long after you’ve finished reading. Step into the land of Boadhagh, where an exiled king, Gabriel brings word to King Airell of an impending attack from the Ansgarian army—the same army that murdered his family. King Airell has no men to stave off the attack, so Gabriel takes matters into his own hands. The beautiful sorceress and daughter of King Airell, Deidre, learns that her mentor created the violent Ansgarians and leaves her kingdom to warn her father. They join forces to defeat their mutual foe—and as they fight together, Gabriel and Deidre fall in love. Tragedy, love, revenge, defeat, and grief are played out with insightful precision through Skye’s characters. The story builds to a crescendo and the ending’s dramatic climax will stay in your memory long after the final page is turned.

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As a side note, I wanted to let readers know what is to come from Bruce Skye and the Deathsong Chronicles:

Upcoming Novels:

Hard-Favour'd Rage, the second novel in the Deathsong Chronicles, describes the ultimate consequences of Grayrider. This story has lots of twists and turns as well as many battles between both of armies and sorcerers! What follows is an initial reader's response to this story: "Very good book. Each chapter keeps the reader in suspense. You never know whats going to happen next." The publication date has yet to be announced.

A Dragon's Wrath, the third story in this series, comes well after Hard-Favour'd Rage ends. Can the teenage children of a possessed monarch obtain the aid of a dragon to save their father from a dire fate? This book is currently being written.

Fortune's Fool, the fourth volume of the Deathsong Chronicles, is a tale of betrayal and revenge. It has not been started yet.

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About the author:

A former technical writer, detail is important to Bruce Skye. His research for the Deathsong Chronicles included medieval armor and fortresses, as well as Celtic names and magic. "If you create a world, it must be consistent. And that's what I strive for Grayrider's world to be. I've built a database of material for each of the Deathsong Chronicles. Those databases aid me in keeping the world the same from book to book.

"When I wrote Grayrider, I followed the advice of Stephen King. I did not write the book following any sort of outline. I have no more idea than my readers do when I write a novel what will happen in the midst of the story. It makes it more exciting for both the readers and myself."

You can visit his website at http://www.bruceskye.com/.

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Win Prizes!

GRAYRIDER VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '08 will officially begin on February 2 and end on February 27. You can visit Bruce's blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in February to find out more about his new book!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.