| Title | : | Prophecy's Ruin (Broken Well, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0648582353 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780648582359 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 482 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2009 |
Mages from the opposing lands race to claim the newborn, but in a ferocious battle of magic, a terrible accident occurs – the child’s soul is ripped apart, then reformed as two separate babies. Each side seizes a child, uncertain if they now possess the one capable of ending the age-old conflict, or if destiny itself has been undone.
Prophecy’s Ruin tells the story of the boys as they grow. Bel becomes a charismatic though troubled warrior, Losara an enigmatic and thoughtful mage – both powerful young men, yet incomplete. As they struggle to discover their place in the world and the shape of their futures, inevitably each has to ask the question: will he, one day, have to face himself?
Prophecy's Ruin (Broken Well, #1) Reviews
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It started with a brutal battle of magic and wit between mage Elessa and undead soul Fazal over the right to claim the blue haired boy who’d lead them to victory and shape their sides’ destiny. Corlas – the father could do nothing but watch as his newborn’s soul was torn in two by the Gods will through lightning strike leaving each of Kainordas (light) and Fenvarrow (dark) a powerful future leader.
Both sides of the equation, the light (Bel), and the shadow (Losara) were given equal page time with Losara's shadowland companions reading the more interesting; their characterization blurring the lines between traditional good and evil.
Of the more memorable moments (of which there are many) the battle in the forest of Drel stands out, I could almost smell the blood dripping off the pages and was filled with a sense of dread with each combatant felled or wounded. There's also a fantastic twist I didn't see coming, a sure sign of great writing.
My rating: 5/5 stars. This is a great start to what I’m sure is a highly entertaining Broken Well Trilogy with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. -
This book is a very good read if you stick it out to the end, which i highly recommend you do!
As the book picks up steam, it just gets better and better. The enjoyment of the story increases as we learn and remember more of the back-story of both the world that is Prophecy's Ruin and the characters that reside within it.
The maturing (aging) of the two main characters is the key highlight of the book due to the fact that they become exponentially more interesting the further in you read.
The beginning is very fast moving and the action is plentiful, however this can be detrimental to the story as it leads to some confusion and a lot of effort is required to absorb all the new information. The overly detailed beginning can be expected (to some extent) in the first book of a trilogy because it is usually needed to create a solid base for the ones that follow.
The second half of Prophecy's Ruin is extremely rewarding, and i hope that the next two in the trilogy will more more like the latter part of the first book.
Overall, very much worth the read. I could not put it down and cant wait for the next one! -
This was going to be a 3* review, but then I thought the ending was so baffling and confusing, I had to take a star off.
There were some good ideas in this, some cool concepts that could have gone somewhere really interesting, but it got so bogged down in unnecessary scenes and details that it all got lost along the way. Whole scenes and chapters could have been removed and made no difference to the story. Some characters made decisions that seemed wholly out of character compared to the rest of the novel, and seemed contrived just to allow the plot to advance. Time skips were also handled poorly, as it was not always apparent that one had taken place.
A book with potential, but sadly not realised. -
Magic Twins. Magic twins who are technically the same person but split into their 'light' and 'dark' sides. Magic twins with bright blue hair.
Was there any possibility that I wouldn't love this book?
Actually, yes. The story gets off to a slow start and you really have to battle to get your head wrapped around the world and its mythology and such. But it's totally worth it! From the time the boys are running around as children this story takes off. Not gonna lie, though, kind of wanted to punch Bel in the face. What can I say? The quiet mage always wins over the arrogant soldier in my books. -
I loved this book so much. I also hated it so much too. I can't believe I picked up such a good read on a whim and it turned out to be one in a trilogy. Moreover, I couldn't believe I picked it up so quickly after it being published that I have to wait to next year for the next one.
I read the blurb for this book a few times before I purchased it.
A prophecy spoken years ago foretells of a Child of Power who will be born. He will have blue hair and he will destroy the balance forever. The child has been born and Light and Shadow race to claim him as theirs. He lives in the place of Balance where Old Magic rules and in a fight between Light and Shadow the child's soul is torn in two resulting in two babies with blue hair. One is raised in the Light and one in the Shadow. Each knows about the other and they struggle to understand their destined path and how the two of them will meet.
I loved the world building that happened in the start of the story. The book is thankfully broken into smaller pieces; the birth, the initial raising, the boy/man at his coming of age. The gaps in between are filled in with memories as the current plot arc continues. The world building is necessary although at times the difference between shadowdreams and reality can be confusing.
I found the characters to be well built and the choice between Bel the Light Warrior and Losara the Shadow Mage to be difficult. I want to see them each succeed and I want to see their halves united. Gah! I can't wait for the next book. As the first novel by Bowring he's done a great job and it reads as a seasoned fantasy book rather than a first foray. -
This is a beautifully wrought book, with a plot woven impeccably neatly in a way it is both interesting and every part is vital in some way, without being rushed. There is an excellent range of characters, with a charmingly unreliable narration to tie them together.
It really brought to mind the idea of Nature Vs Nurture, and I found it intriguing that the Hero of Shadows was the one I found to be more genuinely caring and thoughtful, whereas the Hero of Light was brash and less aware of the impacts of his actions. Unfortunately Bel was just so unlikeable for me, and I couldn't accept his actions, and that detracted from the tale. Despite that, I was very pleased with this novel, and will read the next two eagerly. -
I got up to page 100 and gave up. The blurb was enticing, and the cover supported my interest, however I struggled to stay attentive as the book progressed. Each time I picked it up, I found myself in a remote world, however this only came about after reading quite a few pages, and left after a paragraph or so. I found it impossible to remember what had happened in the previous chapter every time I went to read it again, making the story-line...difficult to understand. I also found myself being put off of reading this book, opting to sit and be bored rather than read it. In the long run, It was Ok, but I would not recommend reading it to many people.
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I read this book in the space of about 5 days. I couldn't put it down. I'll admit, the cover did attract me to this book and the blurb just bettered my first impression of it. The idea for this story is very original and it was good to read something with a different kind of plot to it. The characters all differed from one another and you couldn't help but love them. I look forward to reading the next two books :)
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Wonderful book.
Characterisation is fantastic, couldn't help but empathise with the two protagonists.
I especially liked the character of Isiaah, Bowring's constructed a trully malicious personality. I couldn't help but read his storyline with interest.
I enjoyed this book immensely and encourage anyone to read it.
Be warned! You will be sucked in to it! -
The tagline reads "Two heroes, one soul, and all the world to conquer", but IMO it should say "One hero, one arrogant entitled brat, one soul, etc..." The story was a bit slow to start, but this was okay, as it set up the world of the story in a good way to draw the reader in. In the Broken Well world, the gods had a disagreement a long time ago and now the world is divided into Light and Shadow. A prophecy fortels that a man with blue hair will end the stalemate. But when the blue-haired baby is born the mages of Light and Shadow fight over him so much that he is literally split into two babies. One of the babies is taken by the Light and the other by the Shadow, and so the story begins. Which boy is the right one? I really like how the author disputes the idea of Light=good, Shadow=evil, as the story progresses. It starts with the POV of Battu the Shadowdreamer, who is undoubtedly evil, but then we move to the Light-aligned characters and we see that really they're no better. In fact, with the exception of Elessa, who unfortunately doesn't make is past the first chapter, none of the Light characters are IMO in any way likeable or sympathetic. They all read like fundamentalists, with an inflexible world view that they're right and will not even consider the notion that they may not be. It is really irritating how they insult anything to do with the Shadow in really petty ways. None of the Shadow characters do this. The only halfway tolerable Light character is Baygis, but even he is a stereotypical jerk who brags about how many women he's bedded (ugh). The baby taken to be brought up in the Light, Bel, is a very unlikeable character. Right from the start he is a little brat who thinks he's better than everyone else because her thinks that the "evil" has been stripped from him. He too brags about how many women he's slept with but didn't love. (Why do people think that this is somehow a good thing to be proud of??)
On the other hand, the Shadow characters are all much deeper and more interesting. The boy taken to the Shadow at the start Losara, is one of the coolest characters ever created. Unlike Bel, he is a considerate and smart little boy, and when he grows up, despite being a very powerful mage, is still kind, conscientious, and super cool under pressure. He only sleeps with one woman whom he loves. The goblin Tyrellan, who takes the baby Losara in the first chapter is also an awesome character. Who would have thought that a goblin could be so cool? But he is. Tyrellan is as much of a fundamentalist about the Shadow, as the Light characters are about the Light, but despite this, he comes across as a lot more likeable than his Light counterparts, perhaps because he doesn't stoop to petty insults.
The gods also make an appearance, as does an evil talking bird called Iassia. Iassia is probably the most evil character of them all, but even he is more likeable than some of previously mentioned characters.
I am really looking forward to finding out what happens next. I give the book 4 stars because I am not sure if the reader is supposed to dislike Bel as much as I do. -
Thank you very much to the author for sending me an ecopy of this novel.
Prophecy's Ruin is book one of the Broken Well Trilogy and what an immersive and exciting experience it is.
Set in a world where the lands of Kainordas (the light) and Fenvarrow (shadows) are teetering on the brink of another war despite the stalemate brought on by the breaking of The Great Well of Souls.
The book starts with a fantastic action sequence with a memorable battle of wizards who fight to lay claim to a blue haired baby, a child of power prophesied to end the balance of power.
This battle sets up an unexpected chain of events throughout the book as the soul of the newborn is split in two leaving twin baby boys!
We follow Bel as he grows up in Kainordas and Losara in the shadowland.
What I really liked is that it's not straightforward good vs evil. Both boys feel a part of them is missing and this blurs their personality in unpredictable ways and makes them really interesting characters.
There are many members of the supporting cast that are very interesting in their own right and add to the intriguing plot. I especially liked the goblin Trellin and his reactions to being stuck with a butterfly (you'll have to read it to find out what that is about).
This is a fantasy with everything. Great plot, interesting use of magic, various races and creatures, battles full of action, planning and plotting on both sides of the world, the prophecy and the destinies of the boys and what will happen if they meet?
There's a twist that was totally unexpected and set the story off in another direction and then sets things up nicely for the next book.
A well written story, easy to read, packed with emotion and characters to care about. I have no idea what is going to happen next and that's an exciting prospect! -
A prophecy plays out but a storm results in the son dividing into two boys with blue hair; thus, the characters have more questions than answers since this odd occurrence. The world-building is complex and darts between different perspectives with many characters introduced as the story progresses.
I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author. -
QUICK OPINION:
This is a brilliant and intricate book, with excellent characters and an intriguing and unique plot line - would 100% recommend!
THE DETAIL:
The premise rests on a child of prophecy that has been split into two by two sides of a stalemate war, light and shadow, in their vie for power. Bowring uses this as a way to explore and the nature of prophecy and fate and the classic trope of heroes and villains, turning it all on its head.
His book presents nuanced perspectives exploring both sides of the war. Through the character development of both children and through the exploration of the powers at play that are trying to control how this prophecy comes to fruition, he shows that perhaps the nature of light and shadow is not so black and white.
The story is full of intriguing characters with strong believable motives. People of power blinded by vengeance, tyrannical leaders forsaken by gods, cunning and sly individuals looking for personal gain, a distraught father searching for his child, a servant questioning his immovable loyalty... the list goes on and Bowring impressively interweaves them all into a thrilling story that keeps you guessing and hungry for more.
Honestly 10/10 would recommend to anyone (and I have done to many friends). The story enchanted me and had my mind wandering back to it constantly during the times i was forced to put it down. -
An original fantasy unlike most I have read. I enjoyed this authors writing style. Very good world building and the characters came to life.
I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys the fantasy genre.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. -
Great
I enjoyed the whole book. Was captivating and difficult to put down. I am looking forward to book two and more from this author. -
Lost last part
Cute story but the last part of the trilogy didn’t show up.
Cain and able idea
Oh well missed the end -
DNF.
I found it really hard to get into. -
A grand scale deep journey into fantasy realms and magic. A wonderful read. I loved it!!!!
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Light and Dark have been forcibly separated and the two forces pursue an endless war for dominance. A prophecy announces that a boy with blue hair will end the bloodshed. When this child is finally born both the light and dark are looking for him. Two warring mages discover him and in the massive battle that follows they tear the child’s soul in half, creating two blue haired boys – but which is the prophecised hero?
I loved this concept. Blue-hair touches on my anime/manga affections, twins is just a weird obsession I have, and I love stories which look deeper into prophecies. I know some people whinge about being over prophecies in fantasy, but as long as it’s a fresh take like this I love it.
This book was the sort of book I would have powered through in a matter of days. Unfortunately my still undiagnosed vertigo disorder means that sometimes looking at text makes me feel like my eyes are bleeding. I thought when I started the book on one of my good days that I’d slam through the whole series this month (I have waaaaay too many series I’ve started but haven’t finished with the reading challenge I'm doing (Death Works, Black Magician,)). No such luck.
The world is rich and full. There are so many places and species of both the light and dark. I really love the border between the two, and the gods themselves are pretty cool. Fans of world building should love this.
The characters of the saviour’s soul split in two, Losara and Bel, are delightfully opposite sides of the same coin, though I think most people will probably like Losara more than Bel.
The only thing that bugged me was a bit at the end. Not the ending itself, but something that happened near the end. SPOILER ALERT. END SPOILER
I’m looking forward to finding the time to finish this series when my head is a little clearer. -
The writing of the book was excellent and the plot was very unique and interesting however I felt that the plot was carried out in such a way that the book felt dragged out and long. Now looking back on my reading experience I cannot remember much of the book other than the important bits and fighting/action scenes. The rest just seemed to be a bit of a waste of time.
This book is the first in a trilogy (I have NOT read any more of the series) but I felt as though a lot more could have been added into the story. I have heard people say that it gets better and better as it goes on, and maybe in the future I will but I am not planning on reading the rest of the trilogy any time soon just because really I am no longer interested.
~Olivia -
I was given this book by my sister and had it around for a few weeks before I actually started it. After that I just couldn't put it down, I really enjoyed it and thought it was very creative and original plot. I loved the division of the character and think it will lead to very interesting aspects in the second and third books. It has very exciting characters and is just a relaxing book that takes your imagination to very distant places.
The only problem now is the wait for the next 2 books.
great read for those who love fantasy. -
Fantastic
This was a different type of book than I normally read but sometimes I like to step outside my box and discover new authors and new exciting things. This book is a very well written magical fantasy that you have to really stay alert and on top of. Definitely not a skim the page read. You have to pay attention to know what you are reading. Great storyline and characters. -
An intriguing world - a continent split in half by a magical cloud to give a light and a dark realm; various beings inhabit the dark, ruled by the Shadowdreamer; the light population is mainly human but with sentient wasps and a declining race of Sprites. A prophesy tells of a blue-haired champion but on being born the outcome is not what either light or dark expected.
First of three - detailed and interesting world-building.
