Samara's Peril Blog Tour: Author Interview and Book Review

Please welcome Jaye L. Knight, creator of the Ilyon Chronicles! She's here as part of her blog tour for her release of Samara's Peril, which is book 3 in the series. 

Jaye L. Knight is an award-winning author, homeschool graduate, and shameless tea addict with a passion for Christian fantasy. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope. She has been penning stories since the age of eight and resides in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Which of the Ilyon Chronicles was the hardest to write and why?

Well, I have yet to write the final book, but right now I would say book four. I got really frustrated while writing it, and it took longer than the others. The funny thing is though, now that it’s written, it’s my darling. I adore it and can’t imagine why it was so difficult.

I see you have your own imprint for your books. What made you decide on the indie publishing route and what makes it rewarding?

I didn’t really have a choice in the beginning. I wanted to publish, but I had no idea how to go about it. Originally, I published my first book through a self-publishing company. I wouldn’t make that choice again now, but I learned a lot from the experience. It taught me enough to pursue indie publishing completely on my own. Now that I’ve sort of learned the ins and outs, I’m very happy with where I am. I love having control over the entire process. That way I know I can work on a book until I’m completely happy. Plus, I just could never work under strict deadlines. I have a hard enough time actively writing as it is. Throw in a set deadline by a publishing company, and I would probably just fall apart. :P

You describe yourself as a "shameless tea addict". What's your favorite type of tea?

It used to be English Breakfast tea, but then I tried Irish Breakfast tea and fell in love with it. I have at least a mug of it every day.


What's your favorite part of writing Christian books?

The hope that is in them. Even when things are at their very worst, there is hope in the fact that God works all things together for good. That hope is missing in non-Christian books. Like The Hunger Games, for instance. Part of the reason I found them so depressing was because there was no hope. No strength they could reach out to, no faith they could hold on to.


And finally, if you could master any fantasy skill/weapon what would it be and why? 

A sword, most definitely. :) I’ve always wanted to learn how to wield a sword. My brother was always more the archer type, but for some reason I always loved the hand-to-hand combat in swordplay. There’s something really epic about skilled swordsmen/women.

Thanks for taking the time out for an interview!

Book Review: Samara's Peril

The Short:

Samara’s Peril

Ilyon Chronicles, Book 3

By: Jaye L. Knight

4/5 Stars

What: When the Resistance discovers that Samara is Emperor Daican’s next target, they spring into action. And who is the stranger called Elon?

Recommended to those who like: Fantasy, Christian, a bit of romance, and have read books 1 and 2.

The Long:

It was my pleasure to receive an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Jaye for being awesome and interviewing with us today! Now, let’s hear a little bit about her new release. I’ve tried to keep it spoiler-free in regards to both Resistance and The King’s Scrolls.

Kyrin and her friends embark on a dangerous journey to obtain Daican’s plans for Samara, the neighboring kingdom that still largely follows Elom. More secrets than just his plans come to light, however. Can Jace come to grips with new secrets from his past? And is the healer Elon the one who was promised?

I really wish that I could have given this book five stars. However, the beginning was a bit…scattered. I felt really disconnected from Kyrin and it was hard to keep track of all the minor characters (it’s been a while since I’ve read the other books in the series).

Yet, some aspects of the book were stellar. Jace is still one of my favorite characters--from any book series. He feels real. Also, hats off to Ms. Knight for some fantastic dragon battle scenes at the end. The action sucked me right in.

In spite of some of the hiccups with this book, I’m really excited for the next book in the series. The ending to this one had me worried for a few pages, but I was very pleased with where it left off. There’s a promise of some more great action in the next installment.

As always, Ms. Knight offered a thoughtful Christian message, though some readers might find it a little strong. This book also gets into a little romance.

Bottom Line: Samara’s Peril, while a weaker installment in the series, has a lot to offer to fans of Christian fantasy, including a nice lead into the next book. 

U.S. Residents, be sure to check out the cool giveaway associated with the book!

There will be no Friday Fiction Fix tomorrow due to today's post. See you on Tuesday!

Have you checked out any new releases lately? 

Sequel Review: "Exiles"

This is the fourth book in the Ilyon Chronicles. I would recommend reading the previous books prior to picking this one up. I'll be back with a fresh series next week! Also, thanks for helping The Book Hound reach 10,000 page views! 

The Short:

Exiles

Ilyon Chronicles #4

By: Jaye L. Knight

4/5 Stars

What: The Resistance must find new allies to survive the persecution coming their way.

Recommended to those who like: Fantasy, dragons, Christian, romance

The Long:

I would have loved to have been in on the release party for this book, but it occurred while I was in Germany. Better late than never, I suppose. 

Jace, Kyrin, and the rest of the Resistance are hard pressed against Daican's new advances. Their survival, as well as the survival of their faith may rest in the hands of unlikely allies. Meanwhile, Prince Daniel fights for his newfound faith in spite of his father's protests. Will the Resistance be able to survive?

There were some parts I absolutely loved in this book. Jace (as always), Prince Daniel, and Ann are some of my favorite characters ever. However, I sadly felt rather distanced from many of them. There was so much going on in different parts of the world! As someone who hasn't read any of the prequels in a while, it was a little difficult to hop back into the story.

While Elon's appearance was well-done in the last book, it seemed to have relatively little consequence for the story overall (excepting a few key characters' story arcs). I hope the story returns to his influence in the coming books; His part of the story was quite well written in the previous novel, and I would love to see Him play a bit bigger of a role in the coming installation(s). 

Finally, I hope you're a fan of romance if you pick this one up! While there was definitely enough epic dragon-flying adventure to keep me entertained, it is a little heavy on the romance. However, I will tip my hat to Ms. Knight for exploring some different aspects of romance that prevented the insta-love feeling. That's quite the accomplishment.

The Bottom Line: This Christian allegorical fantasy was a pleasant read that offers hope for a return to stellar character development and plot points in the coming novels.                                            

Friday Fiction Fix: "Resistance"

The Short:

Resistance

(Ilyon Chronicles, Book 1)

By:

Jaye L. Knight

5/5 stars

What: A “half breed” man struggles over if he has a soul while a young woman fights to maintain her faith in the den of the enemy.

Recommended to those who like: stories with internal conflict, fantasy, Christian allegory, a good sword fight, and interesting world building.

The long:

I found this book perusing through the Christian Fantasy/Sci Fi catalog on Amazon and needed a book to read, so I figured I’d give it a try.

I’ll admit, I was a little reluctant to try it. I’m still new to walking off the beaten path to find Christian speculative fiction. Some of the books have flopped epically for me. But Resistance did not disappoint!

The thing that really struck me about the book was the amount of internal conflict within it. Jace is genuine in his struggle against his own internal flaws, doubts, and fears. Everyone tells him that he cannot have a soul, for he is a mixed-race man. He’s one of the more realistic characters that I’ve read in Christian fiction recently.

Kyrin is also lovable. As somewhat of a tomboy and independent young woman myself, I found it easy to associate with her. She fights to maintain her faith, even though it may cost her life as an assistant to the Emperor. She also struggles with how to witness to others, as well as how to reconcile what she’s heard about others to what is reality.

The action sequences were well-paced and logical in this fantasy novel. The overall pace of the book was better than many. It was predictable at times, but not overly so.

If you’ve read the book, feel free to share your thoughts/opinions below. Please remember to be respectful of Ms. Knight and her work, as well as other commentators. I also welcome comments on what you would like to see included in the review format. I reserve the right to remove vulgar, hateful, or rude remarks from the comments. Thanks for sharing!

Friday Fiction Fix: "Half-Blood"

Although this is labeled as book 1.5, those who have not read anything in this series can easily enjoy this book. 

The Short:

Half-Blood

Ilyon Chronicles, 1.5

By: Jaye L. Knight

4.5/5 Stars

What: A young slave forced to become a gladiator struggles with his humanity.

Recommended to those who like: Christian, internal conflict, fantasy, sword fights, and quick reads.

The Long:

Although this book is labeled as 1.5, it’s really a prequel to Resistance. This would actually be a good way to try out a new author/series. Those who have read Resistance will also enjoy learning some of Jace’s backstory.

Jace has been a slave his whole life. Yet he can’t even associate with his fellows in bonds—he’s half ryrik, which gives him pointed ears, an odd appearance, and a violent reputation--though he hasn’t done anything to deserve it. He struggles with understanding how humans who could violently enslave him are considered better, even though he hasn’t done anything deserving of his treatment.

Taken to be trained as a gladiator, will he succumb to the violence in his blood to please his masters, or will he be able to become something better?

This book is a great read and it deals with some serious issues, including violence and slavery. 

However, it’s definitely a prequel-style story with less of a fleshed-out story line than a "normal" novel would have. (Hence the half star; I keep telling myself I’m not going to use those). 

I love Jace’s internal conflict throughout the story. It makes me question how I would react in a similar situation.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy and gladiators, with some moral dilemmas thrown in. Again, it would be suitable for someone who is new to the story or someone who has read previous books in the series.

What are your thoughts on prequel novels? 

Sequel Review: "The King's Scrolls"

I've tried to keep this review spoiler-free in regards to Book 1. I'll have a new series next week, so be sure to stop in again!

The Short:

The King’s Scrolls

Ilyon Chronicles, Book 2

By: Jaye L. Knight

5/5 Stars

What: The race is on to claim the last of the King’s Scrolls before the Emperor destroys them.

Recommended to those who like: Fantasy, Christian, and have read The Resistance.

The Long:           

                                                        

The fledgling resistance has discovered that there is one remaining copy of the King’s Scrolls left in the empire. But can they locate it before the Emperor’s armies destroy them?

In this book, we rejoin all of our favorite characters from the start of the series—Kyrin, Rayad, Kaden, and Jace. We also draw in more characters who were on the periphery of the earlier books. Character development is still good, though not as deep as it was in The Resistance. The action continues to build and the stakes are higher than ever.

The Christian message is really strong in this book. Some may find it comforting and others may find it slightly preachy, but I thought it was well done overall. Although the story world generally reflects the set-up of Rome, there are some more traditional fantasy elements that are introduced in this book.

It isn’t necessary to have read Half-Blood to understand this book, but I would highly recommend reading The Resistance first. Samara’s Peril, Book 3, will be released on May 13^th, so stay tuned for more!

Are you waiting for any new releases in a series? 

I'm also still looking for guest posters for Friday, April 29th and Tuesday, May 3rd.