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The Hunger
The Hunger
Feed your Hunger.
In a distant, war-torn land, every man, woman and child must either consume the magical substance known as Sustenance or succumb to the Hunger. Those who succumb develop deformities and face exile — or even death.
The scholar Azil wants nothing more than to lead a tranquil life and beat back the Hunger. But when a mysterious assassin tries to kill Azil, and a stranger shows up at his door challenging him to join her on a quest, he embarks on a dangerous journey to steal the sacred gems of Sustenance guarded in a forbidden fortress. To get there, Azil must venture through a land of floating cities, ravenous mage wraiths, ax-wielding warriors, and bloodthirsty bandits.
But with the sacred gems of Sustenance come volatile magic — magic so strange and dangerous, that the prophecies foretell it could usher in a golden age, or turn its wielder into the darkest of villains.
In a distant, war-torn land, every man, woman and child must either consume the magical substance known as Sustenance or succumb to the Hunger. Those who succumb develop deformities and face exile — or even death.
The scholar Azil wants nothing more than to lead a tranquil life and beat back the Hunger. But when a mysterious assassin tries to kill Azil, and a stranger shows up at his door challenging him to join her on a quest, he embarks on a dangerous journey to steal the sacred gems of Sustenance guarded in a forbidden fortress. To get there, Azil must venture through a land of floating cities, ravenous mage wraiths, ax-wielding warriors, and bloodthirsty bandits.
But with the sacred gems of Sustenance come volatile magic — magic so strange and dangerous, that the prophecies foretell it could usher in a golden age, or turn its wielder into the darkest of villains.
- GenresFantasyHigh FantasyAdult
264 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2016
14 people are currently reading
575 people want to read
About the author
Michael D. Young
70 books166 followersThough Michael grew up traveling the world with his military family, he now lives in Utah with his wife, Jen, and their three children, where he creates online curriculum for Brigham Young University. He is a graduate of BYU and Western Governors University with degrees in German Teaching, Music, Educational Leadership, and Instructional Design. He enjoys acting in community theater, podcasting, playing and writing music, and spending time with his family. He played for years with the Bells on Temple Square and is now a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
He is the author of the novels in The Canticle Kingdom Series, The Last Archangel Series, the Chess Quest Series, and the Penultimate Dawn Cycle (The Hunger), the Wonderful Week for a Quest Series, as well as several non-fiction works, including An Advent Carols Countdown, Sacred Days, Sacred Songs, The Song of the Righteous, As Saints We Sing, and The Song of the Saints. He has also had work featured in various online and print magazines such as Bards and Sages Quarterly, Mindflights, Meridian, Nugent Magazine, The New Era, Keeping Tab, Allegory, Liahona, and Ensign.
He is the author of the novels in The Canticle Kingdom Series, The Last Archangel Series, the Chess Quest Series, and the Penultimate Dawn Cycle (The Hunger), the Wonderful Week for a Quest Series, as well as several non-fiction works, including An Advent Carols Countdown, Sacred Days, Sacred Songs, The Song of the Righteous, As Saints We Sing, and The Song of the Saints. He has also had work featured in various online and print magazines such as Bards and Sages Quarterly, Mindflights, Meridian, Nugent Magazine, The New Era, Keeping Tab, Allegory, Liahona, and Ensign.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 19, 2016
3.85 stars
I really liked this book. That's a bit of a shock to me because at some point I was sure I'd give it 3 stars as it felt too much like Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn.
Ok. We have Azil who's this scholar-actor-fashion obssessed-mage. He teams up with a very mysterious kick-ass lady (Evelet) on a secret mission to bring together 3 ancient gems so that they can bring the Purge. Why would they want to do that? Because their god's (Rahim) golden age can't happen without some genocide. To do that they also bring along a 18 year old orphan (Kaval) who's like a supermage although he does not know it yet. Throw in a young woan (because there has to be at least the hint of romance) and they're all set.
Now, why did this feel like Mistborn:
-the ingestion of Sustenance (metals anyone?) in order to perform magic. Also, different colors of Sustenance for different abilities (metals, again)
-godlike figure and prophecy
-diary entries at the beginning of each chapter
-wraiths who impale metal spikes into other creatures to make them one of their own (fortunately, there's only one scene with wraiths and they don't seem that important)
All that being said, The Hunger still worked for me.
I liked the three clans with their different skin color and their different set of abilities. I also liked how these clans originated from clerical organisations meant to serve the different Aspects of their god.
And talking about the Aspects of Rahim, I liked them. I liked how they are all sentient and realise what they are and that they hold only parts of the god's memories.
Moving on to the characters, I was impressed with Evelet. She has long braids that end with scimitars. And she can put up a fight. Also, she doesn't need Sustenance to perform her magic, she needs something else. As she uses magic, the color literally drains from her body leaving her some shade of white (her skin is dark).
Another interesting thing about this book is the Sustenance. All people must ingest it (like regular meals) or they are turned into Mals. Mals are deformed creatures who are usually treated as slaves or killed for sport. Azil's sister, Sarhah is a Mal. She became one (along with her mother) because her father kept all the Sustenance for Azil, his only son. He wanted the best for him even if that meant killing his wife and daughter in the process. Fortunately, Sarhah's deformity is rather small and located in the head's area. This gives her the opportunity to hide her status with her hair, especially as turning into a Mail didn't affect her intelligence.
All in all, The Hunger is a pretty amazing book and I highly recommend it. If you get past that Sanderson feeling at the beginning, you'll discover a very interesting world with its own set of rules.
*I thank Future House Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book. That's a bit of a shock to me because at some point I was sure I'd give it 3 stars as it felt too much like Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn.
Ok. We have Azil who's this scholar-actor-fashion obssessed-mage. He teams up with a very mysterious kick-ass lady (Evelet) on a secret mission to bring together 3 ancient gems so that they can bring the Purge. Why would they want to do that? Because their god's (Rahim) golden age can't happen without some genocide. To do that they also bring along a 18 year old orphan (Kaval) who's like a supermage although he does not know it yet. Throw in a young woan (because there has to be at least the hint of romance) and they're all set.
Now, why did this feel like Mistborn:
-the ingestion of Sustenance (metals anyone?) in order to perform magic. Also, different colors of Sustenance for different abilities (metals, again)
-godlike figure and prophecy
-diary entries at the beginning of each chapter
-wraiths who impale metal spikes into other creatures to make them one of their own (fortunately, there's only one scene with wraiths and they don't seem that important)
All that being said, The Hunger still worked for me.
I liked the three clans with their different skin color and their different set of abilities. I also liked how these clans originated from clerical organisations meant to serve the different Aspects of their god.
And talking about the Aspects of Rahim, I liked them. I liked how they are all sentient and realise what they are and that they hold only parts of the god's memories.
Moving on to the characters, I was impressed with Evelet. She has long braids that end with scimitars. And she can put up a fight. Also, she doesn't need Sustenance to perform her magic, she needs something else. As she uses magic, the color literally drains from her body leaving her some shade of white (her skin is dark).
Another interesting thing about this book is the Sustenance. All people must ingest it (like regular meals) or they are turned into Mals. Mals are deformed creatures who are usually treated as slaves or killed for sport. Azil's sister, Sarhah is a Mal. She became one (along with her mother) because her father kept all the Sustenance for Azil, his only son. He wanted the best for him even if that meant killing his wife and daughter in the process. Fortunately, Sarhah's deformity is rather small and located in the head's area. This gives her the opportunity to hide her status with her hair, especially as turning into a Mail didn't affect her intelligence.
All in all, The Hunger is a pretty amazing book and I highly recommend it. If you get past that Sanderson feeling at the beginning, you'll discover a very interesting world with its own set of rules.
*I thank Future House Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2017
3.5 stars
I received a copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
This is pretty good fantasy story with obvious influences from Brandon Sanderson at the start but eventually evoked enough originality to convey a voice of its own.
I liked the structure of the book. Each chapter is preceded by a journal entry before it goes into the main body of the story. It became quite obvious after a while as to how the journal entries teased out revelations that lead in very well into the progression of the main narrative. The exposition was well-handled in this sense, as the main story was filled with action from the very first chapter and it can feel awkward when the author info-dumps in the midst of all that. The world-building was also interesting. The magic system was based on three different types of Sustenance (colour-based) providing magical feats of strength/skill, motion and sight. Each of this Sustenance was governed by a clan. There are also mage creatures which seemed to be the creation of a god named Rahim, for which man’s faith had gone awry.
The ending at first felt strange to me and after much contemplation, I realised that there was a bit of genre subversion happening at the end of this book. However, I can't really say much more about it without spoilers, and I believe the author paved the way for a potential sequel even though this book didn't seem to be marketed as a series.
The key aspect of the book which kept it from being great in my opinion was the characterisation. While the POVs were kept to 3 main characters in the central story and another in the journal entries, I felt disconnected from them until quite late in the story. Maybe the narrative had too much going on and not enough personal contemplation, albeit this is a hard balance to achieve lest the pacing suffers. Notwithstanding, it is a fascinating fantasy read for fans of the genre who are looking for newer ideas/concepts. And if there is a sequel to The Hunger, I will read it.
I received a copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
This is pretty good fantasy story with obvious influences from Brandon Sanderson at the start but eventually evoked enough originality to convey a voice of its own.
I liked the structure of the book. Each chapter is preceded by a journal entry before it goes into the main body of the story. It became quite obvious after a while as to how the journal entries teased out revelations that lead in very well into the progression of the main narrative. The exposition was well-handled in this sense, as the main story was filled with action from the very first chapter and it can feel awkward when the author info-dumps in the midst of all that. The world-building was also interesting. The magic system was based on three different types of Sustenance (colour-based) providing magical feats of strength/skill, motion and sight. Each of this Sustenance was governed by a clan. There are also mage creatures which seemed to be the creation of a god named Rahim, for which man’s faith had gone awry.
The ending at first felt strange to me and after much contemplation, I realised that there was a bit of genre subversion happening at the end of this book. However, I can't really say much more about it without spoilers, and I believe the author paved the way for a potential sequel even though this book didn't seem to be marketed as a series.
The key aspect of the book which kept it from being great in my opinion was the characterisation. While the POVs were kept to 3 main characters in the central story and another in the journal entries, I felt disconnected from them until quite late in the story. Maybe the narrative had too much going on and not enough personal contemplation, albeit this is a hard balance to achieve lest the pacing suffers. Notwithstanding, it is a fascinating fantasy read for fans of the genre who are looking for newer ideas/concepts. And if there is a sequel to The Hunger, I will read it.
October 11, 2016
I received a copy from Future House Publishing in an exchange for an honest review
2.5 stars because it didn't evoke any emotions.
I won't call this a bad book, but I can't say I'd read it if I didn't receive the copy from the author. It has a focused plot and decent characters, but the dialogues seemed very unnatural to me. I really tried, but I just couldn't care about either about goal they tried to achieve nor about their well-being.
Azil teams up with resourceful Evelet on a secret mission to bring together three ancient gems so that they can bring the Purge, because their god's Rahim's golden age can't happen without some sort of the apocalypse. To do so, they also bring along a 18 year old orphan Kaval who could be the "chosen one" but doesn't know it yet. The story moves forward through the quest for the pure Truth and the eternal question of who was their Creator, wishing to improve not only their knowledge but also their society and bring on a New Age. The problem is, we don't know enough about their present society so we would truly believe it's that horrible and in a need for a revolution.
The magic system is based on three different color-based types of Sustenance providing strength, motion and sight. Each of the Sustenance was regulated by a clan. All people must ingest it like regular meals or they will be turned into Mals. Mals are deformed creatures who are usually treated as slaves. Azil's sister Sarhah is a Mal and despite of it, she managed to be a strong female character. I enjoyed her and there are some interesting sparks between her and Kaval.
There are obvious influences from Brandon Sanderson, the main story is filled with action and it reminds me of a fairy tale. The start is weird because I'm just thrust in the middle of the conversation between two fellas and I have no idea whether they're important or not. Reader is thrown immediately into a complex magical world which was very confusing for me. The plot has a solid pace but adds nothing new to the genre. It was hard to follow with all the different backgrounds of all those characters and you never know who is really significant and who is not. As the plot moves on, I quickly lost interest in the world building because the characters lacked appeal. The whole book is written in one tone, so it's missing its dynamic.
While the viewpoints are held by only three characters - Kaval, Azil and Evelet, I felt disconnected to them from the start. Although they had an interesting dynamic, they all sounded the same voice. Also, it felt like they were to busy with everything happening around them to be real human beings with personalities. None of them really stepped up as someone who was remarkable nor really intrigued me. Perhaps spending more time explaining where the characters come from and who they were before they joined this "adventure" would allow me to feel some kind of attachment to them. Overall, there are too many dialogues, lacking in excitement and tension, with too little insight.
Kaval has been raised in an orphanage and all he ever wanted was to escape his dictated fate. He’s an adventurous teenager, who wants to experience everything that life has to offer. In my opinion, he’s the true protagonist of the story but even that didn’t save him from the true indifference I felt towards him. Not that I mind ordinary characteristics, but I crave for something to steal some emotion out of me.
Evelet is a special girl because she doesn’t need Sustenance to perform magic. As she uses magic, the color literally drains from her body leaving her some shade of white even though her skin is dark, so it was quite fun reading those parts. Out of all important characters, she was the only one who caught my attention.
Azil has only joined the quest because he blindly trusts his friend. He doesn’t believe in Rahim, nor is present because of any significant motive so him being one of the main characters may be a bit pointless. He and his sister share some intriguing moments, but outside of that, he’s as blank as the others.
2.5 stars because it didn't evoke any emotions.
I won't call this a bad book, but I can't say I'd read it if I didn't receive the copy from the author. It has a focused plot and decent characters, but the dialogues seemed very unnatural to me. I really tried, but I just couldn't care about either about goal they tried to achieve nor about their well-being.
Azil teams up with resourceful Evelet on a secret mission to bring together three ancient gems so that they can bring the Purge, because their god's Rahim's golden age can't happen without some sort of the apocalypse. To do so, they also bring along a 18 year old orphan Kaval who could be the "chosen one" but doesn't know it yet. The story moves forward through the quest for the pure Truth and the eternal question of who was their Creator, wishing to improve not only their knowledge but also their society and bring on a New Age. The problem is, we don't know enough about their present society so we would truly believe it's that horrible and in a need for a revolution.
The magic system is based on three different color-based types of Sustenance providing strength, motion and sight. Each of the Sustenance was regulated by a clan. All people must ingest it like regular meals or they will be turned into Mals. Mals are deformed creatures who are usually treated as slaves. Azil's sister Sarhah is a Mal and despite of it, she managed to be a strong female character. I enjoyed her and there are some interesting sparks between her and Kaval.
There are obvious influences from Brandon Sanderson, the main story is filled with action and it reminds me of a fairy tale. The start is weird because I'm just thrust in the middle of the conversation between two fellas and I have no idea whether they're important or not. Reader is thrown immediately into a complex magical world which was very confusing for me. The plot has a solid pace but adds nothing new to the genre. It was hard to follow with all the different backgrounds of all those characters and you never know who is really significant and who is not. As the plot moves on, I quickly lost interest in the world building because the characters lacked appeal. The whole book is written in one tone, so it's missing its dynamic.
While the viewpoints are held by only three characters - Kaval, Azil and Evelet, I felt disconnected to them from the start. Although they had an interesting dynamic, they all sounded the same voice. Also, it felt like they were to busy with everything happening around them to be real human beings with personalities. None of them really stepped up as someone who was remarkable nor really intrigued me. Perhaps spending more time explaining where the characters come from and who they were before they joined this "adventure" would allow me to feel some kind of attachment to them. Overall, there are too many dialogues, lacking in excitement and tension, with too little insight.
Kaval has been raised in an orphanage and all he ever wanted was to escape his dictated fate. He’s an adventurous teenager, who wants to experience everything that life has to offer. In my opinion, he’s the true protagonist of the story but even that didn’t save him from the true indifference I felt towards him. Not that I mind ordinary characteristics, but I crave for something to steal some emotion out of me.
Evelet is a special girl because she doesn’t need Sustenance to perform magic. As she uses magic, the color literally drains from her body leaving her some shade of white even though her skin is dark, so it was quite fun reading those parts. Out of all important characters, she was the only one who caught my attention.
Azil has only joined the quest because he blindly trusts his friend. He doesn’t believe in Rahim, nor is present because of any significant motive so him being one of the main characters may be a bit pointless. He and his sister share some intriguing moments, but outside of that, he’s as blank as the others.
May 29, 2017
* I received a copy from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review, so here it goes.
What I liked:
- each chapter begins with a diary entry of Jamith, Azil's friend (this is the only way he appears in the book)
- the distribution of the population in 3 different clans (Scarletti, Dorian and Azura - a big plus for the descriptions of their main cities), with particular skills (strength, motion and sight, obtained by consuming three different types of Sustenance) and skin color – although it clearly needs more explanations and development
- the fast pacing of the story
What I didn't like:
- I did not feel particularly attached to the characters (ok, maybe Jamith and Sarhah a little bit)
- Azil's obsession with clothing and fashion
- fuzzy objective and religious concept (plus, the religion seems to be a too big and take-it-as-it-is part of this novel for me)
- not very clear how not consuming Sustenance affects people so differently: some suffer minor deformities (like Azil’s sister, who also is not affected in her thinking), some are deeply transformed (multiple arms, size, monster traits) and also seem to behave like an animal
Overall, it was rather enjoyable and I thinks that, with some work in the characters' department especially, the sequel(s) may be even better. It is probably best suited for YA readers.
August 15, 2016
The synopsis of The Hunger immediately reminded me of the Mistborn-trilogy. The need of sustenance to perform magic, the diary entry's at the beginning of every chapter, the important houses/keeps around the world based on important families and the prophecy about a happier time. To compare a book to something like the Mistborn-trilogy before even reading it, is quite intense and maybe not a great way to go into a book (namely, I absolutely love the Mistborn-trilogy, so how could a book ever live up to it?). Yet, The Hunger didn't let me down.
"I say," Azil said, pointing to the fallen door. "That door cost me a great deal in bribes to smuggle it out of Keep Azura. It is quite valuable and could conceivably be reused. If you are going to slaughter me, kindly refrain from getting blood all over the door. Couldn't we settle this in some other way?"
So, our main character is Azil, who goes on an adventure to steal some very well guarded gems and with those wants to try to make the world a significant better place. He is accompanied by the mysterious yet very kick-ass Evelet and a young but seemingly powerful orphan boy named Kaval. We also read about his scholar friend trying to find out more about their god Rahim, who is supposed to make the "better times" happen. I really enjoyed these little pieces of investigation, that were placed before every chapter and taught us about the Aspects of Rahim.
"Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning?" Azil asked. "You know that I hard no love for the clans, but if one is going to completely alter the course of the entire world, he should at least be given proper notice in advance. I would have worn an ensemble at least twice as heroic. Perhaps even a cape."
The Hunger was a very enjoyable book. I loved the story, even though (or maybe because) it resembled the Mistborn-trilogy as much as it did. It is definitely not as good, but let's be honest, how many books are? Fantasy lovers will particularly enjoy this book, but I feel like most readers will.
I received a copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
"I say," Azil said, pointing to the fallen door. "That door cost me a great deal in bribes to smuggle it out of Keep Azura. It is quite valuable and could conceivably be reused. If you are going to slaughter me, kindly refrain from getting blood all over the door. Couldn't we settle this in some other way?"
So, our main character is Azil, who goes on an adventure to steal some very well guarded gems and with those wants to try to make the world a significant better place. He is accompanied by the mysterious yet very kick-ass Evelet and a young but seemingly powerful orphan boy named Kaval. We also read about his scholar friend trying to find out more about their god Rahim, who is supposed to make the "better times" happen. I really enjoyed these little pieces of investigation, that were placed before every chapter and taught us about the Aspects of Rahim.
"Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning?" Azil asked. "You know that I hard no love for the clans, but if one is going to completely alter the course of the entire world, he should at least be given proper notice in advance. I would have worn an ensemble at least twice as heroic. Perhaps even a cape."
The Hunger was a very enjoyable book. I loved the story, even though (or maybe because) it resembled the Mistborn-trilogy as much as it did. It is definitely not as good, but let's be honest, how many books are? Fantasy lovers will particularly enjoy this book, but I feel like most readers will.
I received a copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2016
Note: I received an ARC from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thanks FHP.
This is another book which is probably around a 3.5 rating for me. It's good, but not amazing and it makes me kind of frustrated because it had the building blocks for amazing.
In The Hunger readers are thrust immediately into a complex magical world. The magic is complex (And reminds me more than a bit of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn magic system). The politics are complex. The society is complex. The religion is complex. I don't mind any of those things, and I don't mind being dropped into the world and then having things explained. However, and this is a big however, if I'm dropped into the world that way I must have characters who I immediately latch onto, then I'm willing to take the ride with them even if there are problems with pacing or unanswered questions.
In this case while the characters, and there are at least 5 playing at main characters, are unique none of them really stepped up as someone whose story I just HAD to know. At least one was only on the quest until something better came along. One was a non believer who was going along on the word of his friend. One came along because she insisted and there had to be a sort of romantic angle. When I don't have a character to really connect to then I find myself reading more analytically and under that all the things we didn't know became annoying.
I did like the glimpses we got into the world and the magic. I liked the uniqueness of Sarhah's knife work in particular and Evelet continually came up with surprises. Azil and his obsession with clothing and fashion was fun. I just needed MORE of all of it to come through and really carry me away.
This is another book which is probably around a 3.5 rating for me. It's good, but not amazing and it makes me kind of frustrated because it had the building blocks for amazing.
In The Hunger readers are thrust immediately into a complex magical world. The magic is complex (And reminds me more than a bit of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn magic system). The politics are complex. The society is complex. The religion is complex. I don't mind any of those things, and I don't mind being dropped into the world and then having things explained. However, and this is a big however, if I'm dropped into the world that way I must have characters who I immediately latch onto, then I'm willing to take the ride with them even if there are problems with pacing or unanswered questions.
In this case while the characters, and there are at least 5 playing at main characters, are unique none of them really stepped up as someone whose story I just HAD to know. At least one was only on the quest until something better came along. One was a non believer who was going along on the word of his friend. One came along because she insisted and there had to be a sort of romantic angle. When I don't have a character to really connect to then I find myself reading more analytically and under that all the things we didn't know became annoying.
I did like the glimpses we got into the world and the magic. I liked the uniqueness of Sarhah's knife work in particular and Evelet continually came up with surprises. Azil and his obsession with clothing and fashion was fun. I just needed MORE of all of it to come through and really carry me away.
June 2, 2016
The Hunger looks like it's the first of a series of books focusing on this realm. Filled with political intrigue, corruption of a religious figure, and filled with magic this book has more to offer than I first anticipated. There are a lot of religious undertones in the novel. The theme reflects on the religious ideas of finding faith and trusting in a god. If you share similar views on religion like me, the book is pretty heavy handing on turning a non-believer into a believer. As such I would approach this novel with an air of caution. While the fantasy elements in the story are the story, the exploration of spirituality can become tiresome.
The Hunger shares a lot of similarities with Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn. This is not to say it is a duplicate of Mistborn, but it certainly has some details that re-interpreted ideas about a magical world. Although, there are influences from Mistborn, Young adds more original content to allow The Hunger to grow organically.
The Hunger is the story of Azil, a powerful mage that carries a "slight" obsession with fashion. He agrees to help his friend Jamith on a mission to collect three gems to bring the Purge. Azil is paired up with Evelet a mysterious woman with dark braided hair and dark skin. The pair is tasked with finding a young orphan, Kaval. Alongthe way the group meets up with Azil's sister Sarhah and continue to search for different religious items Jamith asks them to find to unravel the truth of the world.
Thankfully in this book, although Azil is attracted to Evelet, Young did not make her a crutch romantic interest. Instead, he chose to forgo romance completely. I think for the subject matter in book romance might be the furthest thing from anyone's mind. Young allows his female character to be stronger women not simply subjected to the damsel in distress role. There is a bit of character development between Azil, Kaval, and Sarhah, yet it is profoundly simple. Character development as I stated before is more about finding faith a higher power. As such, the character did not growth improve the characters. They didn't find something within themselves to actually change for the better. Even, when each of them found a form of faith in Rahim they continued to behaved as they did before.
The people of this world are all capable of magic and everyone must ingest Sustenance every day. Prolonged disuse of Sustenance causes a person to turn into a Mal, deformed subclass of a human that people kill for sport.
The god Rahim is featured prominently in the book. Rahim, broke himself into six different aspects to prevent him from destroying his creations again in a fit of rage. Additionally, since the last age three clans have risen that reflect the "light" aspects of Rahim. The Scarletti, the Dorian and the Azura. Each clan worships Rahim in their own fashion, preferring to worship according to the mannerisms of his aspects rather than completely to him. Here is where the problem begins. Each clan believes they are worshiping him in the correct way. As such they disagree with the other clans, sounds familiar...
There is a fairly decent amount of diversity in the book and I like that Evelet is depicted as a "dark" woman with braids all over her head. Young even goes so far as to have Azil feel something towards Evelet never once thinking about the color of her skin. Rather, he is concerned about her actions and the information she keeps hidden well.
The biggest problem with this book is where the story beings. I wish Young took some times and backpedaled a little with his opening. I wanted to get to know the characters a little bit more intimately, like spending time with Azil while he was a scholar not when he jumped to help his friend. Perhaps taking more time to flesh out the character's history would allow the reader to feel attached to the characters. While this is not a huge deal I think for flow and content it would have helped the novel along. Since the novel really opens in the middle of the action. Young explains a back story of one character through journaling but it is not enough to keep the reader arrested.
Young's endeavor into a fantasy world is mostly original and filled with fun and excitement. Again, I feel the religious aspect of the novel is really heavy handed. At times, it can be downright annoying to read Evelet telling Azil to have faith in Rahim over and over. Overall the story is fair and it is a fun book to pass the weekend. I would recommend this book for YA readers. There is a fair amount of violence but it is not overly depicted.
I would recommend this book, however, I would have never read this book based on the description. I don't normally read religious fiction.
The Hunger shares a lot of similarities with Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn. This is not to say it is a duplicate of Mistborn, but it certainly has some details that re-interpreted ideas about a magical world. Although, there are influences from Mistborn, Young adds more original content to allow The Hunger to grow organically.
The Hunger is the story of Azil, a powerful mage that carries a "slight" obsession with fashion. He agrees to help his friend Jamith on a mission to collect three gems to bring the Purge. Azil is paired up with Evelet a mysterious woman with dark braided hair and dark skin. The pair is tasked with finding a young orphan, Kaval. Alongthe way the group meets up with Azil's sister Sarhah and continue to search for different religious items Jamith asks them to find to unravel the truth of the world.
Thankfully in this book, although Azil is attracted to Evelet, Young did not make her a crutch romantic interest. Instead, he chose to forgo romance completely. I think for the subject matter in book romance might be the furthest thing from anyone's mind. Young allows his female character to be stronger women not simply subjected to the damsel in distress role. There is a bit of character development between Azil, Kaval, and Sarhah, yet it is profoundly simple. Character development as I stated before is more about finding faith a higher power. As such, the character did not growth improve the characters. They didn't find something within themselves to actually change for the better. Even, when each of them found a form of faith in Rahim they continued to behaved as they did before.
The people of this world are all capable of magic and everyone must ingest Sustenance every day. Prolonged disuse of Sustenance causes a person to turn into a Mal, deformed subclass of a human that people kill for sport.
The god Rahim is featured prominently in the book. Rahim, broke himself into six different aspects to prevent him from destroying his creations again in a fit of rage. Additionally, since the last age three clans have risen that reflect the "light" aspects of Rahim. The Scarletti, the Dorian and the Azura. Each clan worships Rahim in their own fashion, preferring to worship according to the mannerisms of his aspects rather than completely to him. Here is where the problem begins. Each clan believes they are worshiping him in the correct way. As such they disagree with the other clans, sounds familiar...
There is a fairly decent amount of diversity in the book and I like that Evelet is depicted as a "dark" woman with braids all over her head. Young even goes so far as to have Azil feel something towards Evelet never once thinking about the color of her skin. Rather, he is concerned about her actions and the information she keeps hidden well.
The biggest problem with this book is where the story beings. I wish Young took some times and backpedaled a little with his opening. I wanted to get to know the characters a little bit more intimately, like spending time with Azil while he was a scholar not when he jumped to help his friend. Perhaps taking more time to flesh out the character's history would allow the reader to feel attached to the characters. While this is not a huge deal I think for flow and content it would have helped the novel along. Since the novel really opens in the middle of the action. Young explains a back story of one character through journaling but it is not enough to keep the reader arrested.
Young's endeavor into a fantasy world is mostly original and filled with fun and excitement. Again, I feel the religious aspect of the novel is really heavy handed. At times, it can be downright annoying to read Evelet telling Azil to have faith in Rahim over and over. Overall the story is fair and it is a fun book to pass the weekend. I would recommend this book for YA readers. There is a fair amount of violence but it is not overly depicted.
I would recommend this book, however, I would have never read this book based on the description. I don't normally read religious fiction.
May 31, 2016
This book definitely grabbed my attention from the beginning. I enjoyed the new world and creatures and rules that author Michael D. Young created. Each chapter begins with a journal entry from Jamith, who is researching and trying to find out if he and his friend Azil's theory is correct about the gods that their people worship. Each journal entry gives us a little bit more of a glimpse into the back history of the world and how it was created and about the "gods" and the magic that rules the land. Several chapters in I was really interested in what Jamith was writing and was almost tempted to skip to each chapter and just read the journal entries. But I am so glad I didn't. It really was pretty cool how the entries tied into the whole writing within the chapters and the book. There's a little twist with it that I just wasn't expecting but it really just made it a pleasant surprise and I really liked the book more for it.
After each journal entry we get more into the story of what's happening to everyone else while Jamith is off researching. Azil and Jamith have been friends for a long time and have set into motion a plan with Evelet, who is a very powerful woman who works for Ramith. Ramith is the main god in this story. The details of their plan are very vague for a little while but enough information is given to keep you guessing and reading forward in hopes of getting to the reveal of what their plan is.
A few chapters in the reader is introduced to another character, Kaval. Kaval has been raised in the orphan sector of town and he talks about wanting to escape what fate has dictated that he becomes. Kaval also introduces to why the title of the book is "The Hunger." In this world each person must consume food as well as sustenance. Every person has a hunger inside of them which can only be fed by sustenance. Each piece of sustenance is a different color and allows the consumer to channel a different type of magic. If the hunger grows to strong and is not fed by sustenance then the person will turn into what is called a Mal. They will be incapable of magic and their body will become deformed. Mals are creatures that are despised, mistreated and used as the lowest of servants. The first time we meet a Mal in the story is when Kaval is in a tower and the creature finds him. It was a little intense at first because you're not sure what a Mal is and what it's intent is but I will say that I grew to like Kaval more and more as he came to better understand Mals and also knowing that he knew he could be turned into one any day.
Through some different circumstances Kaval, Azil and Evelet come together and set out on a mission. They must travel to the three different Keeps in their world. Each Keep is ruled by a differing clan who was given special powers and responsibilities to protect different aspects of Rahim's powers. The clans have been at war for years and years but peace was starting to come until the meeting of these three characters.
There are some pretty crazy and creative creatures written in this story. I sure wouldn't want to come across some of them and others I wouldn't mind as much. The mage wraiths are DEFINITELY ones I would avoid at all costs. There is an intense scene where Kaval, Azil and Evelet are trying to escape them. Actually there are several but the first time is pretty intense. They barely escape and make it to their destination: Kaval's sister's dwelling. Sarhah was a great strong female character. I enjoyed her and there are some little sparks between her and Kaval.
There have been many time periods in the history of this world called Epochs. Evelet is hoping to bring about what is called The Purge which will then usher in the final Epoch. To do so they must gather an item from Rahim's crown that is stored and protected well at each keep. So we see the group of characters working together to battle many enemies, even some possible friends, to survive and further their cause of bringing about The Purge.
There's quite a bit more than that but I really don't want to give away anything. This book is well written in the timing of reveals and I really enjoyed that about it. I was guessing and starting to think I had it figured out when a new piece of information was revealed and I had to recalculate what I thought about this world and what was coming.
If you are a fantasy reader and enjoy well created worlds, characters and creatures I think you might enjoy this one. There is a sequel so be ware that it doesn't tie up all the loose ends just yet, but I think it will be well worth the wait.
Thanks Future House Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
Happy Reading!!!
After each journal entry we get more into the story of what's happening to everyone else while Jamith is off researching. Azil and Jamith have been friends for a long time and have set into motion a plan with Evelet, who is a very powerful woman who works for Ramith. Ramith is the main god in this story. The details of their plan are very vague for a little while but enough information is given to keep you guessing and reading forward in hopes of getting to the reveal of what their plan is.
A few chapters in the reader is introduced to another character, Kaval. Kaval has been raised in the orphan sector of town and he talks about wanting to escape what fate has dictated that he becomes. Kaval also introduces to why the title of the book is "The Hunger." In this world each person must consume food as well as sustenance. Every person has a hunger inside of them which can only be fed by sustenance. Each piece of sustenance is a different color and allows the consumer to channel a different type of magic. If the hunger grows to strong and is not fed by sustenance then the person will turn into what is called a Mal. They will be incapable of magic and their body will become deformed. Mals are creatures that are despised, mistreated and used as the lowest of servants. The first time we meet a Mal in the story is when Kaval is in a tower and the creature finds him. It was a little intense at first because you're not sure what a Mal is and what it's intent is but I will say that I grew to like Kaval more and more as he came to better understand Mals and also knowing that he knew he could be turned into one any day.
Through some different circumstances Kaval, Azil and Evelet come together and set out on a mission. They must travel to the three different Keeps in their world. Each Keep is ruled by a differing clan who was given special powers and responsibilities to protect different aspects of Rahim's powers. The clans have been at war for years and years but peace was starting to come until the meeting of these three characters.
There are some pretty crazy and creative creatures written in this story. I sure wouldn't want to come across some of them and others I wouldn't mind as much. The mage wraiths are DEFINITELY ones I would avoid at all costs. There is an intense scene where Kaval, Azil and Evelet are trying to escape them. Actually there are several but the first time is pretty intense. They barely escape and make it to their destination: Kaval's sister's dwelling. Sarhah was a great strong female character. I enjoyed her and there are some little sparks between her and Kaval.
There have been many time periods in the history of this world called Epochs. Evelet is hoping to bring about what is called The Purge which will then usher in the final Epoch. To do so they must gather an item from Rahim's crown that is stored and protected well at each keep. So we see the group of characters working together to battle many enemies, even some possible friends, to survive and further their cause of bringing about The Purge.
There's quite a bit more than that but I really don't want to give away anything. This book is well written in the timing of reveals and I really enjoyed that about it. I was guessing and starting to think I had it figured out when a new piece of information was revealed and I had to recalculate what I thought about this world and what was coming.
If you are a fantasy reader and enjoy well created worlds, characters and creatures I think you might enjoy this one. There is a sequel so be ware that it doesn't tie up all the loose ends just yet, but I think it will be well worth the wait.
Thanks Future House Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
Happy Reading!!!
April 8, 2016
The Hunger by Michael D. Young, published by Future House Publishing #futurehousepub, is a fantasy story very well written and nicely paced, though in the beginning it’s a bit hard to follow given the number of characters with all their different backgrounds and complexities. Once you get to know the characters then it becomes much easier to get into the book.
The story moves around a big quest with the main characters going in search of the pure Truth and the eternal question of who was their Creator, wishing to improve not only their knowledge but also their society and bring on a New Age. All this happens in a world full of magical people and magical animals. Sceneries are very well described giving you a clear image of where the action takes place while the character go on their adventure.
The main characters in this story are set as an example of courage, strength, endurance, bravery, hope and self-sacrifice. It’s a nice story that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and you really want it to go on when you reach the end.
Michael D. Young very cleverly has two different parts of the story moving along each other and converging almost at the end making you understand even better the depth of this book.
The story moves around a big quest with the main characters going in search of the pure Truth and the eternal question of who was their Creator, wishing to improve not only their knowledge but also their society and bring on a New Age. All this happens in a world full of magical people and magical animals. Sceneries are very well described giving you a clear image of where the action takes place while the character go on their adventure.
The main characters in this story are set as an example of courage, strength, endurance, bravery, hope and self-sacrifice. It’s a nice story that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next and you really want it to go on when you reach the end.
Michael D. Young very cleverly has two different parts of the story moving along each other and converging almost at the end making you understand even better the depth of this book.
April 16, 2016
The author writes very well and this book is unlike any other world I have read about.
I liked the format of the book that alternated POV until the characters met up and the adventure began. Plus it always had a sneak peek of Jamith's letter on his studies as he seeked more answers about Rahim (their God) and the current state of things. One thing he discovers, for example, is how the people have lost their way of worshipping Rahim and that needs to be rectified.
As the story moves on I quickly lost interest in this world because the characters lacked appeal. Azil is only going along in a dangerous adventure because he blindly trusts his friend but does not believe in Rahim which is the point of the entire thing. Then there is his sister who is a Mal but somehow doesn't really show all the dramatic deformities the book started describing from other Mals, like multiple arms.
I found the objective of their journing confusing and the religious conotations for a purified world annoying. I think this book has potential, and I know that it can be successful in a specific nice of readers. But if it weren't for the fact that I got an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for a review, I wouldn't have finished it.
I liked the format of the book that alternated POV until the characters met up and the adventure began. Plus it always had a sneak peek of Jamith's letter on his studies as he seeked more answers about Rahim (their God) and the current state of things. One thing he discovers, for example, is how the people have lost their way of worshipping Rahim and that needs to be rectified.
As the story moves on I quickly lost interest in this world because the characters lacked appeal. Azil is only going along in a dangerous adventure because he blindly trusts his friend but does not believe in Rahim which is the point of the entire thing. Then there is his sister who is a Mal but somehow doesn't really show all the dramatic deformities the book started describing from other Mals, like multiple arms.
I found the objective of their journing confusing and the religious conotations for a purified world annoying. I think this book has potential, and I know that it can be successful in a specific nice of readers. But if it weren't for the fact that I got an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for a review, I wouldn't have finished it.
April 18, 2016
Honestly, this book wasn't for me although I love the fantasy genre. This book is a world full of magical people and magical animals, with several plot twists. The main characters are in search of the pure Truth.
The problem is figuring out who the main characters are. To me the book was confusing for too long. Each chapter begins with a diary entry from a different character. It wasn't until far into the book that you figured which of those characters was the main one, and what the plot of the book was. Overall, I found the book hard to follow and the characters hard to get behind. I had a difficult time wanting to read it. Overall it became a good book, and I understand what the author was trying to accomplish. But, if you don't hook me by the second chapter, I'm not going to want to read more, or pick up the book to finish it.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The problem is figuring out who the main characters are. To me the book was confusing for too long. Each chapter begins with a diary entry from a different character. It wasn't until far into the book that you figured which of those characters was the main one, and what the plot of the book was. Overall, I found the book hard to follow and the characters hard to get behind. I had a difficult time wanting to read it. Overall it became a good book, and I understand what the author was trying to accomplish. But, if you don't hook me by the second chapter, I'm not going to want to read more, or pick up the book to finish it.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2016
Michael D. Young created a wonderful piece of fiction. I read it while taking a sick day. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and evening as I read 'The Hunger'. There was magic, supernatural elements, suspense, war, scholarly pursuits, intrigue, hope, compassion, mystery all wrapped up in a little humor.
I received a free, advance copy of 'The Hunger' for my unbiased review. You can get a copy here http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
#futurehousepub
I received a free, advance copy of 'The Hunger' for my unbiased review. You can get a copy here http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
#futurehousepub
June 17, 2016
It started out ok. Different magic, different sources and outcome. It became painful by the middle with the story going nowhere and a lot of grammatical errors and even on paragraph starting with the same sentence the last one ended with.
April 21, 2025
Official rating: 2.5 stars.
There were some interesting worldbuilding details in this story that I liked, as well as some that I felt were rather underdeveloped and confusing.
The pros:
1) Kaval's storyline/character arc. I really enjoyed reading the chapters from his POV; his perspective felt the most natural and fleshed-out, albeit predictable (orphan/impoverished teen suddenly gains immense power). His progression of feelings for Sarhah lended him some great character development as he comes to terms with the fact that she's a Mal and ultimately decides to accept her as she is.
2) The Mage Beasts. The way they communicate telepathically is so cool, and I loved all the details that went into describing the Mage Bear specifically. His lines were always entertaining to read.
3) Jamith's journal entries. They provided good context into the story and were full of action/intrigue despite only being a couple paragraphs each. However, I was confused at first because it wasn't clear if he was writing them at the same time that the current events were unfolding with Azil and the rest of the group, and then it was revealed that they were written leading up to the first chapter.
The cons:
1) The beginning. It was written as if readers were already accustomed to the characters and seemed to jump right into the middle 0f the story without a proper introduction to the world of the Clans. Information is withheld, but it didn't feel like a mystery to be solved—it came off as an unintentional lack of context, which was frustrating.
2) Inconsistently applied magic system. Sustenance is supposed to come in a set of different colors which correspond to the type of magic they provide (strength, sight, or swiftness), but colors outside of the aforementioned set were used. Also, Azil seems to perform all sorts of feats that don't necessarily fit into one specific category, and the colors he consumes to do this aren't consistent.
3) Lack of character exploration. This ties into my previous point about how it didn't feel like there was a proper introduction; we know next to nothing about Azil, Jamith, and Everlet for a good part of the story, and then we're slowly fed more and more details. By that point, I wasn't really invested in/cared for them as characters.
4) The Aspects of Rahim. The ending just made me think of them as villains, and I wholly disagreed with the action they ended up taking. While the characters acknowledge the extremity of the act and feel conflicted over it, the narrative makes it seem like the Aspects are simply right because they're holy entities and we should trust them no matter what they do.
Overall, I enjoyed the unique and powerful details present in The Hunger, but the issues I had with the story made me think it should've ultimately gone through another round of developmental editing.
There were some interesting worldbuilding details in this story that I liked, as well as some that I felt were rather underdeveloped and confusing.
The pros:
1) Kaval's storyline/character arc. I really enjoyed reading the chapters from his POV; his perspective felt the most natural and fleshed-out, albeit predictable (orphan/impoverished teen suddenly gains immense power). His progression of feelings for Sarhah lended him some great character development as he comes to terms with the fact that she's a Mal and ultimately decides to accept her as she is.
2) The Mage Beasts. The way they communicate telepathically is so cool, and I loved all the details that went into describing the Mage Bear specifically. His lines were always entertaining to read.
3) Jamith's journal entries. They provided good context into the story and were full of action/intrigue despite only being a couple paragraphs each. However, I was confused at first because it wasn't clear if he was writing them at the same time that the current events were unfolding with Azil and the rest of the group, and then it was revealed that they were written leading up to the first chapter.
The cons:
1) The beginning. It was written as if readers were already accustomed to the characters and seemed to jump right into the middle 0f the story without a proper introduction to the world of the Clans. Information is withheld, but it didn't feel like a mystery to be solved—it came off as an unintentional lack of context, which was frustrating.
2) Inconsistently applied magic system. Sustenance is supposed to come in a set of different colors which correspond to the type of magic they provide (strength, sight, or swiftness), but colors outside of the aforementioned set were used. Also, Azil seems to perform all sorts of feats that don't necessarily fit into one specific category, and the colors he consumes to do this aren't consistent.
3) Lack of character exploration. This ties into my previous point about how it didn't feel like there was a proper introduction; we know next to nothing about Azil, Jamith, and Everlet for a good part of the story, and then we're slowly fed more and more details. By that point, I wasn't really invested in/cared for them as characters.
4) The Aspects of Rahim. The ending just made me think of them as villains, and I wholly disagreed with the action they ended up taking. While the characters acknowledge the extremity of the act and feel conflicted over it, the narrative makes it seem like the Aspects are simply right because they're holy entities and we should trust them no matter what they do.
Overall, I enjoyed the unique and powerful details present in The Hunger, but the issues I had with the story made me think it should've ultimately gone through another round of developmental editing.
April 8, 2025
I am really looking forward to reading the next book, but it’s not because I enjoyed reading this one. I could see what the author was attempting to do with the plot and could appreciate the efforts, but there wasn’t any sparkle to it. Sure, action and suspense were at the right times, but it always felt as if we were finally going to get some insight into the “whys” just to move on without it. But stick around and maybe I can explain why and what I'm hoping for with the second book.
In this story I did enjoy the ideas of the main POVs – Kaval, Azil, and Jamith. I thought it was sweet how Kaval wasn’t the orphan he was branded to be. I also liked how Azil was very consistent in his desire to be “properly attired” for every event and enjoyed seeing where it stemmed from. After learning the “why” he enjoyed clothes and made so many comments about them, I didn’t mind his fashion comments as much. Finally, I liked seeing the entries of Jamith and learning about his experiences. Hopefully in the second book, these characters are given a bit more depth and personality – more “whys” are answered to make them resonate with readers more.
I also found the aspect of needing to space out times between consuming Sustenance interesting. Rather than being able to consume different ability-giving drinks simultaneously to get the best results, as most stories would have the plot do, “The Hunger” has characters make crucial decisions as to what power (and how to use said power) they should consume and face the consequences that come when multiple Sustenances are consumed. I do like how the author chose this route because it makes the characters’ sacrifice when they do consume multiple more impactful. But at the same time, it leaves me with many questions about what it is and how it came to be that I am hoping is explained more in the next part.
Although I do have my critiques about this book, I do have hope for the series. Towards the end of the story, there was a conversation between Kaval and Evelet that gave the much-needed background and worldbuilding for the story and the three POVs began to make sense. I was a bit disappointed it took so long for me to get into the book though. While I do not know how the next book will go, I am sure that this story is setting the stage for something bigger and may be worth your while to read, at least for context for the sequel.
In this story I did enjoy the ideas of the main POVs – Kaval, Azil, and Jamith. I thought it was sweet how Kaval wasn’t the orphan he was branded to be. I also liked how Azil was very consistent in his desire to be “properly attired” for every event and enjoyed seeing where it stemmed from. After learning the “why” he enjoyed clothes and made so many comments about them, I didn’t mind his fashion comments as much. Finally, I liked seeing the entries of Jamith and learning about his experiences. Hopefully in the second book, these characters are given a bit more depth and personality – more “whys” are answered to make them resonate with readers more.
I also found the aspect of needing to space out times between consuming Sustenance interesting. Rather than being able to consume different ability-giving drinks simultaneously to get the best results, as most stories would have the plot do, “The Hunger” has characters make crucial decisions as to what power (and how to use said power) they should consume and face the consequences that come when multiple Sustenances are consumed. I do like how the author chose this route because it makes the characters’ sacrifice when they do consume multiple more impactful. But at the same time, it leaves me with many questions about what it is and how it came to be that I am hoping is explained more in the next part.
Although I do have my critiques about this book, I do have hope for the series. Towards the end of the story, there was a conversation between Kaval and Evelet that gave the much-needed background and worldbuilding for the story and the three POVs began to make sense. I was a bit disappointed it took so long for me to get into the book though. While I do not know how the next book will go, I am sure that this story is setting the stage for something bigger and may be worth your while to read, at least for context for the sequel.
December 13, 2018
Okay so lets do this. The Hunger is a fantasy story based in a world where people need to consume substance (as well as food) to keep up magical reserves (as well as prevent them from turning into Mals). The story and the magical system were interesting and was interested where the author was going with everything. Although I did enjoy Azil's perspective, I found the other perspectives a little flat and found myself wanting to get back to Azil. The fight scenes were well written and while there were some clever dialogue written for the characters, I found scenes outside of that were a little boring and didn't contribute to much to the overall adventure. Overall I enjoyed the book and will most likely read the sequel when it is released.
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April 29, 2025I truly enjoyed this book. The writing is witty and I enjoyed the structure of the novel. I appreciated the way we got journal entries from Jamith before turning back to the action our three main characters were facing. I won't lie, as someone who loves fictional history and lore, I found myself always looking forward to these entries. As many here have said, there is a slight resemblance to certain aspects of Mistborn, but it quickly becomes apparent that this world is unique in many ways. If you are a fan of quest oriented stories filled with lore, action, and unique characters, you'll find this to be a good read.
April 22, 2025
This was a really interesting fantasy read, with a lot of complex worldbuilding. I enjoyed the unique setting and plot, as I had never read a fantasy novel with this kind of magic system. The characters have to eat something called Sustenance to be able to use magic, which was really intriguing. However, I felt the plot had too much going on at times, and it could become confusing. It was also sometimes hard to read the overly formal and awkward dialogue between the characters. There were also a few minor plot and backstory inconsistencies that really took me out of the story.
May 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this new world! It actually took me a few days to read, which was nice. I really liked how there was not much that was the same from their world. I also liked all of the main characters and how we were able to hear from their POV. Their are a lot if surprises, some good, some bad. There are a lot of typos, but I’m looking forward to the next book to see what happens next for our aspects! And seeing what Jamith is up to now!
April 27, 2016
3.5 stars really. I have to say I eventually liked this book, but it took reading more than halfway to finally, REALLY get into it. So if you do buy this, stick with it. Each chapter begins with a diary entry by one of the character's best friends who is on a seemingly self-sacrificing, lone quest in the middle of nowhere, to find out what he can about the origins of Rahim, their world's version of God. This seems to tie in only barely to the rest of the story, despite the constant referral to said higher entity, as in “Oh my God/Rahim.” The friend, Jarmith, says he's on this quest for, or at the behest of his best friend Azil, who apparently couldn't give 2 cents about said higher being. Yet this quest suddenly becomes all important. Where does the Sustenance come from!? How is it made? Where do you buy it? Initially I found myself skipping paragraphs, then pages, trying to get…anywhere. My eyes started to hurt with annoyance. I just didn't care about any of these characters, save perhaps for Sarhah. But how is she so lovely and adorable when her kind is supposed to be semi-zombies, virtually non-verbal and smell like rotten meat. Is she not what they say? Then along comes the referral to a book, which is suddenly the main quest of their search, all important. It has all the answers?! Once again, try to be patient. The premise for this book has great potential, and it isn't without it's enjoyable, yet brief, moments during the first half, but it felt disjointed, and the constant referral to the import of finding the true nature and circumstances of this higher being, almost ruined it for me. I stopped reading for a few days, but since I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book, by futurehousepublishing.com in exchange for my honest review, it didn't seem fair not to finish.
The book definitely redeems itself, and becomes much more adventurous and creative. I love all the magical creatures, many being so original and well thought out. And the plot sort of starts to even out, and the explanations for all my above questions (except the origins of sustenance) are eventually answered. As for the characters, they become more relatable and complicated, and you begin to care about what happens to them. I was actually sad to have the book end, but it seemed obvious, at least to me, that there will be a sequel to this, which I expect will be much better since all the necessary intros have been made in the first book. I can also say, there will likely be no way to know what is going on in the sequel without first reading this book. If you get this one, and find it hard to stick with at first, stick with it anyway. You won't be disappointed. #futurehousepublishing
The book definitely redeems itself, and becomes much more adventurous and creative. I love all the magical creatures, many being so original and well thought out. And the plot sort of starts to even out, and the explanations for all my above questions (except the origins of sustenance) are eventually answered. As for the characters, they become more relatable and complicated, and you begin to care about what happens to them. I was actually sad to have the book end, but it seemed obvious, at least to me, that there will be a sequel to this, which I expect will be much better since all the necessary intros have been made in the first book. I can also say, there will likely be no way to know what is going on in the sequel without first reading this book. If you get this one, and find it hard to stick with at first, stick with it anyway. You won't be disappointed. #futurehousepublishing
June 6, 2016
This book took me longer to read than normal because although I was given an ARC to read for content, my brain had to make edits and correct the errors and inconsistencies. Yes, I sent them back to the publisher. After proofing a few manuscripts for friends, I can't help myself. I read neurotically!
Things I liked:
1- The world created in the book was creative and interesting.
2- The main characters had very distinct personalities.
3- Each chapter began with a Journal entry from another character, Jamith, that we only meet through his journal and occasional appearances through a talisman illusion.
4- The religion, and the religious history that Jamith is researching.
5- There are three basic power traits: sight, speed and strength. Each is governed by a different clan. Apparently, the clans used to work together, but now keep separated.
Things I didn't like / or that bugged me:
1- The narrative voice doesn't stay consistent. It is “proper” for the most part, but then, out of nowhere, a phrase is used that feels out of place.
2- Azil’s persona is confusing as well. He presents himself as a gentleman, and much of his conversation is quite proper. Then we have very snarky comments from him. If he is this way because of being an imposter - state that somewhere.
3- There are too many sentences starting with the word “But”.
4- I would have liked an explanation of the timeline between Jamith’s journal and the ongoing story. At first, I thought they were parallel, but then in Chapter 31 they definitely were not.
5- The reader is immediately thrust into their world - which can be fine, except when things are never really explained. We get the words Sustenance, Essence and Reserve - but then are left on our own to understand exactly how they work.
6- Sarhah is described as both a girl and a woman, refers to Azil as "Little brother" (He definitely is not a teenager), and has a thing going with 18 year old Kaval. Something is off!
7- I don't mind a series of books, I have read a number of them. What I do mind is a book that doesn't really end. I like authors who can make each book in a series able to stand on their own. This ends with a set up for another book. I scrolled down to continue, and there was nothing more to read.
*****
For those who do not read neurotically, I would recommend this book. It was an enjoyable ride through their world.
Things I liked:
1- The world created in the book was creative and interesting.
2- The main characters had very distinct personalities.
3- Each chapter began with a Journal entry from another character, Jamith, that we only meet through his journal and occasional appearances through a talisman illusion.
4- The religion, and the religious history that Jamith is researching.
5- There are three basic power traits: sight, speed and strength. Each is governed by a different clan. Apparently, the clans used to work together, but now keep separated.
Things I didn't like / or that bugged me:
1- The narrative voice doesn't stay consistent. It is “proper” for the most part, but then, out of nowhere, a phrase is used that feels out of place.
2- Azil’s persona is confusing as well. He presents himself as a gentleman, and much of his conversation is quite proper. Then we have very snarky comments from him. If he is this way because of being an imposter - state that somewhere.
3- There are too many sentences starting with the word “But”.
4- I would have liked an explanation of the timeline between Jamith’s journal and the ongoing story. At first, I thought they were parallel, but then in Chapter 31 they definitely were not.
5- The reader is immediately thrust into their world - which can be fine, except when things are never really explained. We get the words Sustenance, Essence and Reserve - but then are left on our own to understand exactly how they work.
6- Sarhah is described as both a girl and a woman, refers to Azil as "Little brother" (He definitely is not a teenager), and has a thing going with 18 year old Kaval. Something is off!
7- I don't mind a series of books, I have read a number of them. What I do mind is a book that doesn't really end. I like authors who can make each book in a series able to stand on their own. This ends with a set up for another book. I scrolled down to continue, and there was nothing more to read.
*****
For those who do not read neurotically, I would recommend this book. It was an enjoyable ride through their world.
April 28, 2016
This is a science fiction/fantasy realm book from author Michael D. Young. This is a relatively short store at a little under 300 pages on my reader. Currently this is only available for readers but I am sure that will change shortly after the book gets out to the world.
The story is set in a mystical world full of dangerous obstacles that Azil must deal with and avoid. The world is put together well and gives you a complete understanding of the world. However as well as it was depicted it was lacking something to draw me into the story completly. The characters are developed well and you will have a good understanding through out the book. This story line does flow really smooth on transitions through out the book.
The author offers a great story and creates a nice set of characters. You can tell that he is not a seasoned author at this time with his writting, but there is a lot of potential. I think the author will eventually put out best sellers and for starting out has a lot to look forward too.
If you are looking for a fantasy - sci-fi story this is one author to check out. His book has a great start on becoming a series if that is how he wants it to go. I would like to thank Future House Publishing and affiliates for sending me this book to read and share my opinion.
Can be found at:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Michael-...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FutureHouseP...
Website: http://www.futurehousepublishing.com/...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a sample for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I tried personally and believe will be good for my readers. No other form of compensation was received. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“
The story is set in a mystical world full of dangerous obstacles that Azil must deal with and avoid. The world is put together well and gives you a complete understanding of the world. However as well as it was depicted it was lacking something to draw me into the story completly. The characters are developed well and you will have a good understanding through out the book. This story line does flow really smooth on transitions through out the book.
The author offers a great story and creates a nice set of characters. You can tell that he is not a seasoned author at this time with his writting, but there is a lot of potential. I think the author will eventually put out best sellers and for starting out has a lot to look forward too.
If you are looking for a fantasy - sci-fi story this is one author to check out. His book has a great start on becoming a series if that is how he wants it to go. I would like to thank Future House Publishing and affiliates for sending me this book to read and share my opinion.
Can be found at:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Michael-...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FutureHouseP...
Website: http://www.futurehousepublishing.com/...
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a sample for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I tried personally and believe will be good for my readers. No other form of compensation was received. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.“
June 14, 2016
This futuristic combination of fantasy, barbarism, futuristic and ancient elements in "The Hunger" by Michael D. Young kept me constantly intrigued with each turn of the page. The story centered around a quest involving three main characters who traveled together and a fourth who was researching written materials that, I find out later, has a strong connection.
As may be expected, the quest is a very difficult one, but the characters receive a lot of help from magical and spiritual forces. The presence of enough 'Sustenance' determines ones ability to live and perform magic. The lack of enough 'Sustenance' produced the threat of becoming a 'mal' or monster. These factors formed the foundation of the main characters, as well as those with whom they came in contact.
I never really figured out why the animals became monsters - maybe they were always there; or perhaps they were once human?
There was an extreme amount of magic, monsters and mayhem. The characters are being chased by various factions and deities. There are a few details that leave more questions, although it's possible I could have missed the explanations. The action-packed story contained some light hearted moments in the midst of a quest that is very serious and crucial to saving mankind.
I felt the end was a little rushed and I'm not sure if I understood it all, but I got the gist of it. The ending is pretty important to the story line and I would like to see it developed a bit more. I do believe a second book may be in the works and, if so, I will be happy to read it.
As may be expected, the quest is a very difficult one, but the characters receive a lot of help from magical and spiritual forces. The presence of enough 'Sustenance' determines ones ability to live and perform magic. The lack of enough 'Sustenance' produced the threat of becoming a 'mal' or monster. These factors formed the foundation of the main characters, as well as those with whom they came in contact.
I never really figured out why the animals became monsters - maybe they were always there; or perhaps they were once human?
There was an extreme amount of magic, monsters and mayhem. The characters are being chased by various factions and deities. There are a few details that leave more questions, although it's possible I could have missed the explanations. The action-packed story contained some light hearted moments in the midst of a quest that is very serious and crucial to saving mankind.
I felt the end was a little rushed and I'm not sure if I understood it all, but I got the gist of it. The ending is pretty important to the story line and I would like to see it developed a bit more. I do believe a second book may be in the works and, if so, I will be happy to read it.
August 24, 2016
I received a copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
This high fantasy novel had some great world building which was introduced to the reader as they were dropped right into the action. It has some interesting elements but ultimately if you're looking for a light ride on the fantasy train, you've found it. The characters were good but nothing really out of the ordinary. of what is typical for the genre. I liked the journal entries before each chapter, they helped to foreshadow the plot.
Other reviewers claim there are a lot of parallels between this book and the Mistborn series but I haven't read any of those so I can't make any comparison. The plot flowed logically and the heroes were admirable. But, I did not feel particularly attached to the characters. It is open for a sequel and while I think there are some good opportunities for the author to explore the world more, I don't think I'll pick up the sequel.
This high fantasy novel had some great world building which was introduced to the reader as they were dropped right into the action. It has some interesting elements but ultimately if you're looking for a light ride on the fantasy train, you've found it. The characters were good but nothing really out of the ordinary. of what is typical for the genre. I liked the journal entries before each chapter, they helped to foreshadow the plot.
Other reviewers claim there are a lot of parallels between this book and the Mistborn series but I haven't read any of those so I can't make any comparison. The plot flowed logically and the heroes were admirable. But, I did not feel particularly attached to the characters. It is open for a sequel and while I think there are some good opportunities for the author to explore the world more, I don't think I'll pick up the sequel.
April 14, 2016
I got a chance to read this book pre-release and I really enjoyed it. It's got a Mistborn feel to it, but it's unique nonetheless. The magic system is interesting and there's still a lot to learn about it and it's powers. The story moves at a good pace - constant action or learning. The beginning of each chapter builds on the previous chapter and I found myself wanting to find out more about Jaismith. Overall, a very fun and quick read. The ending leaves the door wide open for what's to come.
For a fantasy novel, this was a pretty short book. That's good because it keeps the story moving. On the other hand, there's a lot that can still be explored. This book is setting up at least a trilogy if not more and there's plenty of different ways that it could go. Looking forward to future entries.
For a fantasy novel, this was a pretty short book. That's good because it keeps the story moving. On the other hand, there's a lot that can still be explored. This book is setting up at least a trilogy if not more and there's plenty of different ways that it could go. Looking forward to future entries.
April 29, 2016
So this book was a bit hard to follow at first. Young seems to have this whole world mapped out yet seems to have left his readers in the dark. However the more I read the better I took to understanding the magically world that Young is trying to weave around us. Azil the first character you meet is seemed a bit vain at first mostly thinking of his fashion sense and a party he must attend that evening, things do start to get interesting when a assassin is sent to kill him, from there we are wrapped up in a Wizardly adventure.
To be honest I was a bit bored of the story at first, however it picked up it's pace around the 6th chapter and I started to get more interested. My favorite character was Evelet, she was badass. I do recommend this book if you like fantasy adventures however keep reading past the first couple of chapters, it does get good!
To be honest I was a bit bored of the story at first, however it picked up it's pace around the 6th chapter and I started to get more interested. My favorite character was Evelet, she was badass. I do recommend this book if you like fantasy adventures however keep reading past the first couple of chapters, it does get good!
April 23, 2016
This book has all you could want in YA Fantasy (which is where I'd place this book in a library) - quirky characters that are well drawn out, engaging scenes, and a thriving story. The story was definitely immersive. There are some parts that I felt could have been a little more drawn out though, which is why I rated it 4 stars. I started reading the book and it after the beginning introduction, quickly drew me in to where I couldn't put it down! I would recommend it as a good sojourn from every day life for awhile - which, I don't know about you, but is why I like to read!
I received an advanced reader copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.
I received an advanced reader copy of The Hunger from Future House Publishing in exchange for my unbiased review.
April 11, 2016
This book left me wanting to read the sequel. It took a couple of chapters to wrap myself around the story, to figure out who was who. Once I realized that it is written from two men's viewpoints, and switches between the two, I was able to get involved. There are several main characters, whom I grew to like. There are several plot twists that kept me guessing and the end definitely was a cliff-hanger. This book was written well, and has the potential to grow into something really big. I am happy to recommend this author and book to my friends and fellow fantasy readers. Disclaimer: I recieved this book at a greatly reduced price for my honost opinion. All thoughts are my own. www.futurehousepublishing.com #futurehousepub
April 7, 2016
A tale of a dystopian world filled with magic and monsters.
After a few chapters I got to enjoy the adventures of a mismatch party of individuals: a young orphan, a stylish noble wannabe, a beautiful messenger of the God, and a young brave woman who is part monster.
The story flows swift and coherent, and it is filled with comic situations and action sequences, full of suspense and mystery.
This is a great book for young adults and the young at heart.
I received a copy of THE HUNGER from Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
After a few chapters I got to enjoy the adventures of a mismatch party of individuals: a young orphan, a stylish noble wannabe, a beautiful messenger of the God, and a young brave woman who is part monster.
The story flows swift and coherent, and it is filled with comic situations and action sequences, full of suspense and mystery.
This is a great book for young adults and the young at heart.
I received a copy of THE HUNGER from Future House Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.
April 13, 2016
This story overall has an interesting mix of characters and story and maybe it is just me, but my preference is to be hooked or at least intrigued by the end of the first chapter and for sure by the third chapter. For me it wasn't until around chapter 8 to start to get invested in the story, which is too long, and I only made it that far because I had agreed to review the book. I understand what the author was attempting to do, but I need to feel compelled to keep reading much sooner. I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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