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book reviews |
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Multivolume fantasy author, M. Ainihi introduces us to the latest and third volume in The Blood Inheritance Quartet, “Endow: A Blood inheritance Novel”: On the world of Sumir, the realms were put into place to keep peace by separating the magical races, but what will happen if those barriers collapse? Picking up where Lost ended, Endow takes Emily, Amanda, and Kiami, on a dangerous trip through the realms. Amanda is determined to prove that the stones they were given are the very ones from the ancient myth. To do so she may have to divulge a few of her dark secrets. But a powerful storm is on the horizon, one that crackles with magical energy, and it throws them off course. Taking the opportunity to get Emily to accept a leading role, Amanda pushes her at every turn. She needs her to see the warrior that she knows lurks deep inside. Kiami’s customary optimism is quelled as more truths are unveiled. An encounter with the wizard Bloise may give them answers, but she fears it will cost them too, and even after he explains the source of her inherited powers, she is left feeling like she’s running and getting nowhere. When Amanda is reunited with her mother, it is not the happy encounter she once imagined. In a world soon to be at war, she realizes their curses were meant to cause the planet’s destruction. Can they be used for salvation instead?  This is a marvelous continuation of the series. We get to know the characters so much better, they are becoming our best friends, but not necessarily to each other. There is a lot of friction between the characters, on multiple levels at times. Secrets! There are so many secrets, sometimes it seems they may drown in the secrets. This book has a nice balance of narration, dialogue and action. There is some wild action also! No spoilers from me, though! Now, I can hardly wait for the conclusion of the series. I know it’s going to be exciting and delicious! The plotting and storytelling are improved. I award a score of 4.6 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Endow-Blood-Inheritance-Novel-Quartet-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-endow https://www.barnesandnoble.com/endow-m-ainihi https://www.kobo.com/endow You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/m_ainihi https://mainihi.wordpress.com I have reviewed the other books in the series and a collection of short stories in the horror genre, here are the links: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/rise-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/lost-a-blood-inheritance-novel-by-m-ainihi www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/resist www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-warning-signs-by-m-ainihi Tags: Teen, Young Adult, Sword and Sorcery, Fantasy, dark, Horror Copyright © Mark Schultz 2021 except for the author’s introduction
87 Comments
Mark
2/28/2021 01:08:12 pm
I enjoyed reading the story a great deal. Let's get started.
Mark
2/28/2021 01:37:56 pm
You sound like a normal person. We all want to be able to go out, do things with friends and travel.
I have been a full-time writer for quite a while. I generally write for several hours and then dedicate the rest of the workday to things like marketing, working with illustrators, cover designers, editors, and updating my website.
Mark
2/28/2021 04:52:26 pm
Being a full-time author requires treating it just like a business. There has to be time for writing, creativity and the business side of writing. You enumerated several of the possible business aspects of writing. They are all important. Like so much else in a business, time and money are equally important resources. Both are spendable. If you have more of the former than the latter then you do more of it yourself rather than hiring someone to do it for you.
Mark
2/28/2021 07:13:44 pm
Very nice. That feeling of accomplishment when constructing a great sentence or paragraph is wonderful. Although I can't recall what exactly inspired the blood Inheritance quartet, it was probably about seven or eight years ago after I received a paperback of Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar by Robert Lebling. Shortly after that, I began developing stories and mythology for the fictitious world of Sumir, in which the Blood inheritance quartet takes place and from there the idea continued to grow until I had planned a quartet and written a few short stories.
Mark
2/28/2021 10:03:27 pm
I love hearing the stories about what inspired a book or even the urge to write. Every author has a different story.
On the cover, the three sets of distinctly colored eyes in the sky represent the three heroines of the story, Amanda, Emily, and Kiami. The shadowy individual staring up into the unknown is meant to represents Justin, whom we learn a lot more about in this third book, while the feathers cascading down represent Kiami and the changes she undergoes during this part of her journey.
Mark
3/1/2021 09:28:45 am
The cover is pretty and mysterious, thanks for sharing the meaning. Thanks for sending me the cover the for the fourth book. I could not find a way to share it here in the comments. Can you provide a link so our readers can see it? The title of the fourth book is Resist, it gives me the impression that the story may not actually be concluded in the series end. What are your thoughts about that, without giving any spoilers away?
Here is a link to my WIP page where you can view the cover. https://mainihi.wordpress.com/novels/works-in-progress/
Mark
3/1/2021 11:22:18 am
Thanks for the copy-and-paste link. Side stories are always fun, expanding the universe makes it more interesting.
As a whole, before publishing Rise the series titled changed a few times. Originally, I was going to use the title: the dynamism quartet. Then after I started working with editors I briefly used: the endowment quartet, but I got some feedback from the scribophile community that suggested maybe it wasn’t the right choice and so it became the blood inheritance quartet.
Mark
3/1/2021 03:30:59 pm
Many authors go through title changes, sometimes series name changes also. A title needs to be relatable to the book and series and meet the expectations of fans. If the title doesn't catch a fan's eye it will not likely get a second look. Titles and covers are so important. Despite the oft-repeated proverb of not judging a book by its cover, we all do exactly that.
Mark
3/1/2021 09:03:06 pm
Audio books are growing rapidly and have been for several years. There are many countries where English is the official language, in many other countries it is taught as a second language. These figures represent hundreds of millions of users and a large number of them have only a smart phone to access the internet. An audio book, in English, is ideal for so many.
Thank you for that information. I really appreciate it and I will defiantly take a look. I have entered Rise in two or three contests. It did receive a seal for being a 2019 New Apple Summer E-Book Awards: Young Adult Fantasy - Official Selection. Here is a copy and paste link if you would like to see the other selections http://www.newappleliterary.com/2019ebook/2019ebookCat24.html.
Mark
3/2/2021 09:46:04 am
Congratulations on the award. I tend to write mainly dark fantasy, but I write whatever genre I am inspired to write at the time. I have a lot of projects in different stages that I would like to work on. I want to say, for the most part they consist of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror genre’s, but I haven’t decided which one I want to focus on after Resist is published. Its always possible that I may work on something completely different.
Mark
3/2/2021 01:07:10 pm
That is great. A lot of authors have multiple projects going and in multiple genres at times.
I have submitted some short story's and poems to magazines in response to calls for submission, but have never reached out to agents or submitted a full length book to a publishing house.
Mark
3/2/2021 03:29:07 pm
The developmental editor's comments are very interesting. That would not have occurred to me. I have no doubt he is right.
To answer your second question, unless something has changed with kindle unlimited, it is my understanding that you can only offer your ebooks using that program if they are not being offered by any other distributors. All three of my currently published titles are available in ebook format though IngramSpark distribution as well. I think that first question is a bit tough. Many people that approach me at events seem to be looking for something different from the usual YA fantasy. I find that often, they want to gauge how fairy-tale-esque the books seem or alternatively how violent the situations are. Perhaps many are drawn to the more ominous approach and I suspect that they like the idea of more unpredictable outcomes than what generally occurs in fantasy. I also frequently get asked about my heroines, I really wanted strong believable female heroines, that held different ideas and beliefs. I think it’s important to readers that I maintain their differences and show the distinct ways each young woman thinks.
Mark
3/2/2021 06:00:42 pm
You are right, Amazon demands exclusivity when using KU. I think it's for 6 or 9 months. Some authors do well with KU, others not as much.
Well for me, the main advantage of independently publishing is keeping creative control over the project. I also really love that I get to collaborate with people all over the world on projects for things like illustration’s and cover designs. Another positive for me is because I work with freelancers for my art, I am the copyright holder of the work for hire pieces, which means I can use them for marketing in ways that an author who doesn’t maintain copyright wouldn’t be able to. It is my understanding that a publishing house generally holds the copyright for things like illustration’s when traditionally publishing.
Mark
3/2/2021 08:37:32 pm
That is very interesting, I didn't know that about the copyright for illustrations and pictures. That makes even more sense to self-publish to me than before.
Well when independently publishing, you do get to control how often you publish and what genre’s you want to publish in. I’m sure there are more but ultimately what may be an advantage to one writer might feel like a disadvantage to another. Luckily there are also some great supportive online communities for writers, such as the Alliance of Independent Authors and The Independent Authors network, as well as groups across many social media platforms that offer advice and support for those who think that they may be interested in learning more about publishing.
Mark
3/2/2021 10:09:42 pm
So true, there are many supportive groups all over social media, not just Twitter, where I spend most of my social media time. There are also blogs written by many authors and others involved in the publishing world. I have many great guest blogs, elsewhere on my website, about many different aspects of publishing and writing. There are also lots of great links to blogs on my Highly Regarded Blogs page. There is no lack of information to help an author along.
I think Amazons process is a bit less complicated than Ingram, but if you are willing to spend the time, it is worth going through both. I have had good experiences with the two companies overall. Of course, nether are infallible. When Amazon switched from Createspace to KDP some unforeseen problems arose, but customer service was helpful for the most part. Similarly, on the one occasion that a print order was done incorrectly with Ingram, they were quick to find a resolution and get a replacement order to me before my event.
Mark
3/3/2021 10:06:05 am
Thanks for the inside scoop on Amazon and IngramSpark.
Thanks for the great information. Technically, I do have my own imprints, but I don’t use them to their full advantages. Concealed Realms is one that my ISBNS are listed under, but I usually just use my name at this time.
Mark
3/3/2021 12:58:21 pm
I like your imprint, It would help solidify your brand if you used it more.
I don’t send out a newsletter, instead include updates and significant information at the beginning of each of my monthly blog post articles.
Mark
3/3/2021 04:14:19 pm
A lot of authors send out newsletters. I subscribe to quite a few also. Many authors seek to build their fanbase through newsletter signups. They offer a freebie of one kind or another to induce readers to sign up. The authors know that a percentage of people will signup strictly to get the premium offered and consider that a cost of doing business. For the fans and super fans, the newsletter is used to stimulate preorders and early sales. It works quite well for some authors. Some3 even sell their books on their website, perhaps autographed copies or book related merchandise. It builds their bottom line and helps cement the relationship with their fans.
I have had giveaways in the past for my books and for others, but the service that I used to use for the majority of them is no longer active. I do often opt to include my books in the ReadersFavorite’ monthly giveaway, as they are now. There are many great authors that offer books through this contest. If you are interested in checking it out here is a copy and paste link: https://readersfavorite.com/book-giveaway
Mark
3/3/2021 08:18:06 pm
Thanks for the link, I am sure our visitors will find it useful. We have already had nearly 100 visitors. Mark, I am happy with them overall. I had an idea about how I wanted the finished books to look and I think with the help of illustrators and cover artists, I got pretty close to that. As far as the interior content goes, I like how that turned out as well, apart from those elusive typos. I had an artist design the scene break image specifically for the blood inheritance books. After developmental and copy editing was complete, I used Reedsy's book editing tool for typesetting, then had them sent to a proofreader. The physical versions do look a bit different from the electronic version.
Mark
3/3/2021 10:33:46 pm
You have worked hard to make certain that your books are a quality product. You bring credit to all indie authors. Personally, as a writer I would never want to mislead readers. When you are talking about publishing as a whole, it encompasses so many things that it harder to choose just one unethical practice. One that may not be the worst but I find pretty disheartening, you mentioned earlier in the interview. There are some vanity presses that scam authors by charging high fees to produce their books for them. From what I have read, the finished products are not always what they were promised and sometimes they end up signing away rights that they probably shouldn’t have. Knowing how much time and effort the author most likely put into their manuscript, I think that its very terrible that certain company’s try to take advantage of authors.
Awe! Thank you for the nice compliment. I am flattered.
Mark
3/4/2021 10:22:01 am
Illustrated versions are very popular with some people. Deluxe bound copies also. The Sanderson experience is quite interesting. You might want to back a project or two to learn more about the experience from the consumer point of view.
Backing a few projects to learn more about the experience sounds like a good idea.
Mark
3/4/2021 11:48:54 am
You should take a look at your ACX account. There are other platforms also for audio books, like Amazon, ACX is not the only game in town.
I look forward to reading the interview. Also, thanks for pointing out your lists. You are so well organized! I will be sure to take a look at them.
Mark
3/4/2021 05:45:02 pm
You are welcome, I found it enlightening.
Mark
3/4/2021 07:13:44 pm
I am with you. I loved reading as a child and read everything I could get my hands on. A very long time ago, I figured I could read every book, if I lived forever. With Amazon owning the joint, I don't think that is long enough, now.
Mark
3/4/2021 09:27:11 pm
I had a hunch that would be a tough choice for you. The latest book is the same answer I would give as a reader.
I think that it is important to tap into the emotions of your characters in order to make their situations believable and their individual reactions more understandable. This in turn helps the reader connect better with the characters. If you can’t get to know your characters on an emotional level, they could end up seeming flat and boring to the reader.
Mark
3/5/2021 12:14:33 pm
Very good. We are creatures filled with emotions, no doubt about that. Everything has an emotional component.
Yes, I think I achieved my goals with for the books production. There were some delays, but it was to be expected at that point during the year and I am happy with the progression of the story-line, although I have a feeling when I finalize Resist it will be the longest of the four.
Mark
3/5/2021 02:35:14 pm
I would not be surprised if the last book is longer. 3/5/2021 04:12:34 pm
I have lost a lot of notebooks from my youth, but I actually have a few old floppy disks and many flash drives filled with stories that are in various stages of development. A few of the tales in my upcoming short story collection were originally written years and years ago. They needed a lot of work, but I am happy with how they are turning out. I hope to work on more of them in the future, after Resist is published.
Mark
3/5/2021 07:17:48 pm
That is great. You have lots of material to work with, that must be fun.
Since I am always writing I change my schedule around a bit. Generally, I do not have a specific word count goal but during November I make sure I write about 2,000 words per day. I also go back to being more of a pantser than a planner.
Mark
3/5/2021 10:44:20 pm
I think you are the first person to reveal that they switch to being a panster from a plotter. I have heard of plotters doing mounds of research, creating character biographies, laying out arcs and scenes before the first of November. Basically doing everything they can to prepare for the contest.
I did some prep similar to what you’re saying the first year. Now when I am participating in November it’s become a time for me to change things up and work on something different. Whereas, on a normal day when I am working on my series I have to take things slower.
Mark
3/6/2021 11:27:52 am
I think a lot of authors are like you, not many are totally one way or the other.
Mark
3/6/2021 04:26:31 pm
Side stories and origins are a good way to expand the universe and can serve as an inducement for people to sign up for a newsletter. Personally, I am more intrigued by Kiami than the other characters, her shapeshifting abilities are fun. It could be more fun if she discovered she could change into any bird.
I think I prefer action beats, but there’s both in my stories.
Mark
3/6/2021 10:05:43 pm
I prefer action beats also. They enrich the story and move it along.
Mark
3/7/2021 10:00:49 am
Different authors have different approaches to this subject. Many are like you and never consciously pattern a character after a family member or close acquaintance. Others will use bits and pieces of friends for color or interesting actions. Still others will change a few details and write a friend in as a second or third tier character. I was written into a book as a minion of the antagonist. When my character had a change of heart the antagonist killed my character, it was a good death.
Mark
3/7/2021 03:46:15 pm
I think that’s a very good idea. It is not worth hurting the feelings of a family member or close friend.
My protagonists were more fun to write in Endow. I like to think that my protagonist work to understand one another even though they have differing views and beliefs, but Amanda sometimes acts rashly without thinking tings through fully.
Mark
3/7/2021 06:27:44 pm
With four protagonists, There is opportunity for lots of banter and some friction, both of which makes the characters come alive and seem real. There have been a number of antagonists through the series so far, but they do not seem to working in concert, unless the big boss is pulling the strings. Amanda may have put a real crimp in his plans, we will find out in the next volume.
Well the female heroines each have there own set of problems. Some are caused by the powers they posses and others are caused by the villains they have encountered. All of them have lost someone they care for deeply one way or another, although the circumstances surrounding each loss has been different. Some of the themes include: BETRAYAL, LOSS, FEAR, SURVIVAL, COURAGE, HEROISM, DISCOVERY, POWER, MAGIC, ISOLATION, ACCEPTANCE, IDENTITY, and MORAL DILEMMA.
Mark
3/7/2021 08:45:53 pm
Justin has his own problems also. He is beset with issues from his past as well. He has really struggled with getting his eyes off of himself much of the time. Though he has come through when the chips were down.
At this time, I generally write from about 9:00 to about 2:00 pm. I reserve time before writing to take care of other writing/publishing related things.
Mark
3/8/2021 10:24:35 am
That is a good block of time. You can get a lot of writing and rewriting completed in the amount of time. You are very wise to devote some time everyday to the non-writing stuff like publishing and marketing. Promotion is an overwhelming topic for a lot of authors. There are so many different ways to market books, it would be easy to allow promotion to consume a lot of writing time. Working on it every day can lead to progress and success.
If I get stuck on a certain part of a story, I usually take a break from it by going for a walk. If that doesn’t work, I do some other creative activity related to my stories such as coming up with a concept for new illustrations, cover designs, or updating my website pages.
Mark
3/8/2021 01:25:36 pm
Those are good ideas to beat writers block. There seem to be two main ways to overcome creative blockage. The first is to work on a different writing project, as you said you do. The second idea that others use is to engage in a familiar physical activity, gardening, walking, or perhaps chores around the house.
I think I mentioned before that I used to have a word count goal each day, which can be helpful when your writing something new but I find that now its better for me to pay less attention to the amount of words and be more attentive to the quality of words, so that I am rewriting less. I have also found that getting the developmental editor involved earlier in the process is really helpful. I rewrote Rise so many times before I got anyone else involved… of course I probably second guess myself less although it still happens, as I am sure it occurs with many of us. I also think it had benefited me to have a dedicated office , which was not the case early on. Another change would be that I tend to do more research as I am writing now, which is not necessarily for the better.
Mark
3/8/2021 03:22:53 pm
I recommend to new authors struggling with their first draft, to not worry about the quality of words. Nobody has ever written a perfect first draft, and trying to achieve that is a sure way to turn off the creative juices. I think every book can benefit from the touch of the developmental editor, that is a worthwhile investment. The situations in these books may be fictitious and take pace in a fantasy world, but the self-questioning that occurs and the doubt, those are things we face every day. I like to say that the protagonists do the best they can with the information that they are given and have found out, especially as they learn more about themselves and each other.
Mark
3/8/2021 06:32:44 pm
Excellent point. Fantasy, fiction, not the real world, yet the situations and the reactions of the characters are very real. The fictioneer shows the truth in different garb.
Jane Austen.
Mark
3/8/2021 08:04:40 pm
Jane Austen was such a good writer. Her dialogue is magnificent. Leave a Reply. |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
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