Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice Dark Stories Book 1 eBook Kelly Dillon
Download As PDF : Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice Dark Stories Book 1 eBook Kelly Dillon 
'Over the Altar' is a collection of fantasy short stories with a mythological theme. More than any other fiction, myths and legends give us insight into the dark heart of humanity with issues that are as relevant today as they were in antiquity. Our desires come alive in both gods and demons while mythic superheroes embody the best of mankind and monsters the very worst.
Set against backdrops that range from classical Greek, Viking and Aztec cultures, through to our modern day exploration of space and the possibility of time travel, 'Over the Altar' sheds light on the motivations which cause us to do both wonderful and terrible things.
Some of these stories are dark and disturbing, others uplifting, but all are memorable and for each there is something that we can all admit in our darkest of hearts, “I would have done the same.”
Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice Dark Stories Book 1 eBook Kelly Dillon
I found Over the Altar: Stories of Sacrifice (Dark Stories) to be a very nice read. Between the quality storytelling, excellently descriptive settings and well rounded characters, this is definitely a new book to get. I rated it 5 stars on Amazon, and a personal 9/10. The book is a selection of stories that deal with the vulnerability of the protagonists and the sacrifices they must make for better or worse, but don't let the cover fool you. While some are based in the myths and legends of the Mayans or Aztecs, you'll also find the deific Sekhmet here, along with the dread underworld of Greek mythology. There are even a couple of science fiction stories that tackle some the biggest speculative technologies we dream of. In the case of Of Blood and Butterflies and Of Blades and Battlesworn, we have the beginning of a series that I sincerely hope will be continuing in future books, following Ctain Ymr, the FireChild -one I enjoyed immensely.It's not just a book about mythology or dark stories though. And it's surely not about bloody gore, so if that's what you're looking for, sadly you won't find it. The underlying theme is intensely personal sacrifice. The dangerous downward spiral that people walk willingly, all too often, because of the choices they make. This isn't about legendary wars between gods or endless slaves being marched to the altars in the name of the deities they dared raise hand against. These are journeys of individuals in impossible positions. The writer has a gift for taking you right into the story with her descriptive presentations of the settings as they unfold around and envelop the characters as they make brutal decisions. The gravity of those choices is well handled by the writer, both in the desperation that follows and the glimmer of hope that fuels the justification of future actions.
This kind of writing from a new author deserves some praise. Fans of mythology and science fiction are going to be very pleased with this purchase. I found that most of the stories flowed quite smoothly and were easy to pick up and read again if on the go, except in the cases of Ctain Ymr, which I couldn't stop reading until I was done. I do believe that if the reader isn't mythologically minded in at least some way however, most of these stories aren't going to do anything for them except for the two science fiction stories, Streaming Light and Equality. Given that, if you keep an open mind, I believe you'll still enjoy the lot.
Please be aware that general spoiler material is coming.
What Price follows siblings hell bent on going into the underworld of Greek Mythology to save a loved one. Using familial bonds and a tortured past, the writer draws you into thinking why people would ever consider doing something so crazy to begin with. Humans armed with knowledge and desire are often willing to go to great lengths in order to reach their goals, and here is no different. But as is often the case, the price you pay getting there blinds one to the debt one owes in coming back. The portrayal of Persephone is a touch of class and really brings the story into the realms of human heartache. I think the story could've benefited from weaving in more about the various parts of the mythology, but it still does a solid job with the amount given. If the reader doesn't know much about Greek Mythology, the story won't be nearly as fruitful, however it's still a good read and one that will make you ask yourself what you would do, given the circumstances.
Mirrors of the Sun is a fantastic story. The author has essentially written a story about what most people know as the old Mesoamerican ball game, spanning multiple cultures and using a hefty rubber ball. But it's more than that. By making the game one of personal conviction, she's woven in the beliefs of the times and the potential penalties of failure in alongside the gods themselves to create what can only be described as a true game with the balance of the world at stake. The symbolism used is not only rooted firmly in mythology but it's taken to the next level, having everything the protagonist cares about riding on the line. Historical records show this game to be a brutal one at the very least, which easily turned deadly while playing. I encourage others to read up a bit on the game itself before reading this, just to get as much as you can from the story.
Of Blood and Butterflies tells of the young life of Ctain Ymr, the Firechild, and if you happen to like ancient races of beings not quite human ruling old civilizations like I do, then you're in for a treat. Call it a dark story, speculative or paranormal fiction; at the end of the day, the story is of how a young girl born into barbarous family is forced to learn innate powers in order to ensure the loyalty of the populace by fuelling ancient rites of sacrifice. The two stories in this book called Of Blood and Butterflies and Of Blades and Battlesworn go together, but neither one of them say where or when they take place, but given the settings of both, we can however place them somewhere within mythological Mayan or Aztec civilizations, or perhaps even starting with the Olmecs. The various jaguar and panther references and the highly ritualistic nature of the story corroborates this. If anyone else has an idea, please say. The nature of the main family even lends to this, as most (if not all) of them are shape shifters to one degree or another.
The Jhorians, as the family or race is called, are deified, but that doesn't stop them from preying on each other, launching campaigns against one another from their temple states and even sacrificing their young as a show of power. The story comes across on a personal level and you find yourself willing the protagonist to come into her own to spite the very harsh learning curve she's forced on, and what it ultimately means for herself as well as her own sacrifices. Her mother is a vicious woman, held on par with something akin to a god rather than a parent, and she certainly acts the part. Many of her actions seem inscrutable, however I encourage you to read on, and skip ahead in the book to Of Blades and Battlesworn after this story. While the scenes skip forward through various time frames in her young life, none of the potency or feeling for the character is lost, a trap many new authors fail to avoid. The end leaves you wanting more, almost wishing there was a way you could change it so the story continues. The Jhorians seem to be ever at war with themselves or others and learning how a simple non-aggression pact between Esitu Ahn and her father Xeroc Orr exists will be a very interesting read that I hope we're given, as will what Ctain Ymr decides to do, now that she's come into her own. This is the jewel of the book.
Streaming Light is a story centred around the dangers of technology and the inevitable pit of despair that bubbles forth when things go wrong. In this case, grievously wrong. Dealing with the new technology of long distance transportation, Streaming Light takes place on a ship 1.2 light years away from earth, after having made just one matter transfer, whereas in the story's past, people would have to make quite a few shorter jumps in order to get to where they were going. But when the government pushes to be the first one to claim the prize, the entire crew find out the hard way that while the jump was successful, the cost of being the first is far too high. While I like the story, I think it could be better served by being a somewhat longer. It feels kind of rushed. The ship the story is set on, while being small, has problems of its own, however the same level of detail that's paid to the other stories isn't here. It's more about the paranoia of the protagonist, which is fine, but we have next to no character development. I think at least a couple more pages dedicated to describing the main character and her goals for being there could've done wonders, but still a good science fiction short story.
Sacrifice of the Hero Twins sees Ix-Coyl and Malinal thrust into the depths of Mictlan, the Aztec underworld, in a mad dash of survival. The story itself is a take on an old legend and the author makes the story a much more personal one, while keeping with some of the traditions of the time, for there can be no life without death for the old civilizations, and here is no different. The carrot on the stick is that they 'only' have to survive six days in six different rooms. The drive that pushes the protagonists is as much about fleeting hope as it is the dim reminder that their names will echo in eternity as others have before themselves, and secretly hoping that the legends they've been raised on are in fact lies. Instead of a story about gods however, we have a story about individuals, ones who bleed, who experience sorrow and pain. This seems to be one of the defining characteristics of these works, and I have to say it's a good thing.
Of Blades and Battlesworn is a brief glimpse into Ctain Ymr's mother (one of the antagonists from Of Blood and Butterflies). Esitu Ahn is a daughter to an intensely harsh parental figure and as such, she knows she has to take certain steps lest her own plans for Ctain Ymr are marred. The story revolves around an actual physical sacrifice this time. We see that blood pays for blood as Ctain Ymr's weakness is harshly dealt with by her grandfather and Esitu Ahn, however much darker things are hinted if this wasn't done, but we're never told what. It also isn't clear what the sacrifice in this story is for, rather for the awakening of Ctain Ymr's powers or another more sinister purpose. Of Blades and Battlesworn reads quite a bit shorter than the rest which is somewhat disappointing. certainly when put next to Of Blood and Butterflies. Hopefully we'll see or hear more about Esitu Ahn in the future and moreso about her motives where here daughter and apparent father are concerned. A small and costly flashback, for Ctain.
End of the World by Sekhmet is a first person story of the Egyptian goddess herself, in all her raging ferocity. It's mostly a straightforward take on Sekhmet, at once a healer and taker of life, the latter making it's appearance here. For those that don't know the legends surrounding her, you won't understand the full gravity of the story. It's still a decent read however, making references to Ra and a couple of other Egyptian gods. While I love Sekhmet and her legends, it doesn't really feel like this story belongs here. While the author does give her personal touch to the piece that I've come to enjoy, nonetheless, there's no real danger here, no cause for harsh decisions that could endanger her, causing her to sacrifice something. This is one of the weaker stories of the book, not in terms of content, but rather, because it doesn't seem to fit with the others.
Equality is a story of time travel through the eyes of Twigg, a very low paid employee working in a dystopian future whereby time travel hasn't just been discovered, but it's used on a very regular basis, for a price. From what we gather from the story, only the filthy rich to get travel and stay where they end up. But unless the balance of potential energy is restored where the person left, dire consequences ensue. This is where our protagonist comes in. The premise of the story is, in essence, a kidnapping agency is legally funded by private clients to get transported back in time to where they want to go, while a person from that time frame is taken against there will to the present, and how much of a toll it takes mentally. While the author does a good job of portraying the abhorrent nature of the job, there are a lot of questions about the setting that go unanswered, which I feel could've been addressed. Because of that, I believe Equality to be the least favourable of the book, but still a good science fiction read that invokes a high level of curiosity. Never a bad thing.
I had very few minor issues with this book, and as this is the author's first book, I'm extremely pleased with it. I give it a solid 9/10. If you're looking for blood, guts and gore, you've come to the wrong place. These dark stories are a pleasure to read overall and I heartily look forward to more, especially from Ctain Ymr, the young Jhorian. If deities are your deal, the characterization of many of the protagonists, even the children of the gods are given a vulnerable, personal feel which is part of what makes these stories pull you in.
I hope this review was helpful and has swayed your opinion one way or another.
Product details
|
Tags : Over the Altar: Stories of Sacrifice (Dark Stories Book 1) - Kindle edition by Kelly Dillon. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Over the Altar: Stories of Sacrifice (Dark Stories Book 1).,ebook,Kelly Dillon,Over the Altar: Stories of Sacrifice (Dark Stories Book 1),FICTION Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,FICTION Fantasy Dark Fantasy
People also read other books :
- #2447 HAIRPIN LACE STOLE VINTAGE HAIRPIN LACE PATTERN edition by Princess of Patterns Crafts Hobbies Home eBooks
- Demon of the Sands The 13th Advocate Book 2 eBook Jefferson Smith
- Helen Euripides E P Coleridge 9781420944143 Books
- The Monroe Doctrine William Fiddian Reddaway 9781177934268 Books
- The Actor edition by May Banks Literature Fiction eBooks
Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice Dark Stories Book 1 eBook Kelly Dillon Reviews
Some unusual stories here. Draws you right in to a bunch of different worlds. Not your usual run of the mill and hard to describe.
I found Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice (Dark Stories) to be a very nice read. Between the quality storytelling, excellently descriptive settings and well rounded characters, this is definitely a new book to get. I rated it 5 stars on , and a personal 9/10. The book is a selection of stories that deal with the vulnerability of the protagonists and the sacrifices they must make for better or worse, but don't let the cover fool you. While some are based in the myths and legends of the Mayans or Aztecs, you'll also find the deific Sekhmet here, along with the dread underworld of Greek mythology. There are even a couple of science fiction stories that tackle some the biggest speculative technologies we dream of. In the case of Of Blood and Butterflies and Of Blades and Battlesworn, we have the beginning of a series that I sincerely hope will be continuing in future books, following Ctain Ymr, the FireChild -one I enjoyed immensely.
It's not just a book about mythology or dark stories though. And it's surely not about bloody gore, so if that's what you're looking for, sadly you won't find it. The underlying theme is intensely personal sacrifice. The dangerous downward spiral that people walk willingly, all too often, because of the choices they make. This isn't about legendary wars between gods or endless slaves being marched to the altars in the name of the deities they dared raise hand against. These are journeys of individuals in impossible positions. The writer has a gift for taking you right into the story with her descriptive presentations of the settings as they unfold around and envelop the characters as they make brutal decisions. The gravity of those choices is well handled by the writer, both in the desperation that follows and the glimmer of hope that fuels the justification of future actions.
This kind of writing from a new author deserves some praise. Fans of mythology and science fiction are going to be very pleased with this purchase. I found that most of the stories flowed quite smoothly and were easy to pick up and read again if on the go, except in the cases of Ctain Ymr, which I couldn't stop reading until I was done. I do believe that if the reader isn't mythologically minded in at least some way however, most of these stories aren't going to do anything for them except for the two science fiction stories, Streaming Light and Equality. Given that, if you keep an open mind, I believe you'll still enjoy the lot.
Please be aware that general spoiler material is coming.
What Price follows siblings hell bent on going into the underworld of Greek Mythology to save a loved one. Using familial bonds and a tortured past, the writer draws you into thinking why people would ever consider doing something so crazy to begin with. Humans armed with knowledge and desire are often willing to go to great lengths in order to reach their goals, and here is no different. But as is often the case, the price you pay getting there blinds one to the debt one owes in coming back. The portrayal of Persephone is a touch of class and really brings the story into the realms of human heartache. I think the story could've benefited from weaving in more about the various parts of the mythology, but it still does a solid job with the amount given. If the reader doesn't know much about Greek Mythology, the story won't be nearly as fruitful, however it's still a good read and one that will make you ask yourself what you would do, given the circumstances.
Mirrors of the Sun is a fantastic story. The author has essentially written a story about what most people know as the old Mesoamerican ball game, spanning multiple cultures and using a hefty rubber ball. But it's more than that. By making the game one of personal conviction, she's woven in the beliefs of the times and the potential penalties of failure in alongside the gods themselves to create what can only be described as a true game with the balance of the world at stake. The symbolism used is not only rooted firmly in mythology but it's taken to the next level, having everything the protagonist cares about riding on the line. Historical records show this game to be a brutal one at the very least, which easily turned deadly while playing. I encourage others to read up a bit on the game itself before reading this, just to get as much as you can from the story.
Of Blood and Butterflies tells of the young life of Ctain Ymr, the Firechild, and if you happen to like ancient races of beings not quite human ruling old civilizations like I do, then you're in for a treat. Call it a dark story, speculative or paranormal fiction; at the end of the day, the story is of how a young girl born into barbarous family is forced to learn innate powers in order to ensure the loyalty of the populace by fuelling ancient rites of sacrifice. The two stories in this book called Of Blood and Butterflies and Of Blades and Battlesworn go together, but neither one of them say where or when they take place, but given the settings of both, we can however place them somewhere within mythological Mayan or Aztec civilizations, or perhaps even starting with the Olmecs. The various jaguar and panther references and the highly ritualistic nature of the story corroborates this. If anyone else has an idea, please say. The nature of the main family even lends to this, as most (if not all) of them are shape shifters to one degree or another.
The Jhorians, as the family or race is called, are deified, but that doesn't stop them from preying on each other, launching campaigns against one another from their temple states and even sacrificing their young as a show of power. The story comes across on a personal level and you find yourself willing the protagonist to come into her own to spite the very harsh learning curve she's forced on, and what it ultimately means for herself as well as her own sacrifices. Her mother is a vicious woman, held on par with something akin to a god rather than a parent, and she certainly acts the part. Many of her actions seem inscrutable, however I encourage you to read on, and skip ahead in the book to Of Blades and Battlesworn after this story. While the scenes skip forward through various time frames in her young life, none of the potency or feeling for the character is lost, a trap many new authors fail to avoid. The end leaves you wanting more, almost wishing there was a way you could change it so the story continues. The Jhorians seem to be ever at war with themselves or others and learning how a simple non-aggression pact between Esitu Ahn and her father Xeroc Orr exists will be a very interesting read that I hope we're given, as will what Ctain Ymr decides to do, now that she's come into her own. This is the jewel of the book.
Streaming Light is a story centred around the dangers of technology and the inevitable pit of despair that bubbles forth when things go wrong. In this case, grievously wrong. Dealing with the new technology of long distance transportation, Streaming Light takes place on a ship 1.2 light years away from earth, after having made just one matter transfer, whereas in the story's past, people would have to make quite a few shorter jumps in order to get to where they were going. But when the government pushes to be the first one to claim the prize, the entire crew find out the hard way that while the jump was successful, the cost of being the first is far too high. While I like the story, I think it could be better served by being a somewhat longer. It feels kind of rushed. The ship the story is set on, while being small, has problems of its own, however the same level of detail that's paid to the other stories isn't here. It's more about the paranoia of the protagonist, which is fine, but we have next to no character development. I think at least a couple more pages dedicated to describing the main character and her goals for being there could've done wonders, but still a good science fiction short story.
Sacrifice of the Hero Twins sees Ix-Coyl and Malinal thrust into the depths of Mictlan, the Aztec underworld, in a mad dash of survival. The story itself is a take on an old legend and the author makes the story a much more personal one, while keeping with some of the traditions of the time, for there can be no life without death for the old civilizations, and here is no different. The carrot on the stick is that they 'only' have to survive six days in six different rooms. The drive that pushes the protagonists is as much about fleeting hope as it is the dim reminder that their names will echo in eternity as others have before themselves, and secretly hoping that the legends they've been raised on are in fact lies. Instead of a story about gods however, we have a story about individuals, ones who bleed, who experience sorrow and pain. This seems to be one of the defining characteristics of these works, and I have to say it's a good thing.
Of Blades and Battlesworn is a brief glimpse into Ctain Ymr's mother (one of the antagonists from Of Blood and Butterflies). Esitu Ahn is a daughter to an intensely harsh parental figure and as such, she knows she has to take certain steps lest her own plans for Ctain Ymr are marred. The story revolves around an actual physical sacrifice this time. We see that blood pays for blood as Ctain Ymr's weakness is harshly dealt with by her grandfather and Esitu Ahn, however much darker things are hinted if this wasn't done, but we're never told what. It also isn't clear what the sacrifice in this story is for, rather for the awakening of Ctain Ymr's powers or another more sinister purpose. Of Blades and Battlesworn reads quite a bit shorter than the rest which is somewhat disappointing. certainly when put next to Of Blood and Butterflies. Hopefully we'll see or hear more about Esitu Ahn in the future and moreso about her motives where here daughter and apparent father are concerned. A small and costly flashback, for Ctain.
End of the World by Sekhmet is a first person story of the Egyptian goddess herself, in all her raging ferocity. It's mostly a straightforward take on Sekhmet, at once a healer and taker of life, the latter making it's appearance here. For those that don't know the legends surrounding her, you won't understand the full gravity of the story. It's still a decent read however, making references to Ra and a couple of other Egyptian gods. While I love Sekhmet and her legends, it doesn't really feel like this story belongs here. While the author does give her personal touch to the piece that I've come to enjoy, nonetheless, there's no real danger here, no cause for harsh decisions that could endanger her, causing her to sacrifice something. This is one of the weaker stories of the book, not in terms of content, but rather, because it doesn't seem to fit with the others.
Equality is a story of time travel through the eyes of Twigg, a very low paid employee working in a dystopian future whereby time travel hasn't just been discovered, but it's used on a very regular basis, for a price. From what we gather from the story, only the filthy rich to get travel and stay where they end up. But unless the balance of potential energy is restored where the person left, dire consequences ensue. This is where our protagonist comes in. The premise of the story is, in essence, a kidnapping agency is legally funded by private clients to get transported back in time to where they want to go, while a person from that time frame is taken against there will to the present, and how much of a toll it takes mentally. While the author does a good job of portraying the abhorrent nature of the job, there are a lot of questions about the setting that go unanswered, which I feel could've been addressed. Because of that, I believe Equality to be the least favourable of the book, but still a good science fiction read that invokes a high level of curiosity. Never a bad thing.
I had very few minor issues with this book, and as this is the author's first book, I'm extremely pleased with it. I give it a solid 9/10. If you're looking for blood, guts and gore, you've come to the wrong place. These dark stories are a pleasure to read overall and I heartily look forward to more, especially from Ctain Ymr, the young Jhorian. If deities are your deal, the characterization of many of the protagonists, even the children of the gods are given a vulnerable, personal feel which is part of what makes these stories pull you in.
I hope this review was helpful and has swayed your opinion one way or another.
0 Response to "[CBH]≫ Download Free Over the Altar Stories of Sacrifice Dark Stories Book 1 eBook Kelly Dillon"
Post a Comment