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Trials
by
Faith Hunter
science fiction, apocalyptic in a Kindle edition that was published by Lone Seekers Press on November 28, 2016 and has 278 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Raven Cursed, An Apple for the Creature, Death's Rival, Blood Trade, Kicking It, Blood in Her Veins, Mercy Blade, Shadow Rites, Bloodring, Seraphs, Dark Queen, Shattered Bonds, Black Arts, Broken Soul, Dark Heir, Cold Reign, Blood of the Earth, Curse on the Land, "Water Witch", "Explosion On King's Street", Skinwalker, Dirty Deeds, "Shiloh and the Brick", "Black Friday Shopping with Nell and Occam", Circle of the Moon, Blood Cross, Spells for the Dead, "Easy Pickings", True Dead, Dirty Deeds 2, Junkyard Cats, Rift in the Soul
The first Rogue Mage anthology of twenty-one mostly very short stories in this apocalyptic science fiction series and revolving around the world Faith Hunter created.
The Series
“Stone Walls a Prison Make” (The imprisonment of Batarel in 3000 BC)
“The Honeymoon is Over” (Paris visited with the plague; 12 June 2011)
“Set in Stone” (Holy Amethyst’s capture with a mention of the Mole Man, 2018)
“Wheels in Motion” (Daria’s plans are revealed, 2064)
“Alone” (the day that Thorn’s mind overwhelms her with everyone’s thoughts, 2106)
“The Best Laid Plans” (Audric’s story, 2116)
The Stories
It’s an interesting world Hunter has created with seraphs who are feared for their destructive actions. In Trials, various authors provide assorted background tales.
Faith Hunter’s “Stone Walls a Prison Make”
A true prequel as it takes place in 3000 BC when Batarel, a Watcher, is imprisoned for his sins of inaction. It is an introduction to the requirements and fall of seraphs of the Most High.
The Characters
Batarel is a Watcher. Azazel, who became the Red Dragon of the Dark Host, led the rebellion. Witnesses include Itqal, an angel of affection, and Batarel’s three brothers: Afriel, a watcher over the young in Heaven and on Earth; Hadiririon; and, Vohal. Mention is made of Kochabiel, a participant in the evil.
Faith Hunter’s “The Honeymoon is Over”
A sad tale of a newlywed couple visiting Paris on their honeymoon 12 June 2011 — just before a seraph visits the city. It was so sad, as Carl and Ella are just starting life together.
Misty Massey’s “Finding the Way”
It’s AD 2017 with “Grog”, a.k.a. Gordon Grove, fleeing an evil Pastor Daniel with his scheming and vicious sons. It’s so sad and not really much different from today with the brainwashing the pastor has done to Gordon.
It demonstrates how civilization as fallen apart via the police department and how shorthanded they are, how today’s practices no longer apply.
Faith Hunter’s “Set in Stone”
Set in 2018, Holy Amethyst tries to rescue her mate, Zadkiel.
The Characters
Holy Amethyst is a cherub with too many faces. Her ophanim, her wheels, “escape”. Zadkiel is her mate. Holy Citrine is another cherub. The Most High is God. Michael led the seraphs. The Mole Man.
The Red Dragon led the rebellion and the Dark Host (he’s defeated by Michael). The Aqua Dragon is the primary bad guy. Forcas is his minion.
Faith Hunter’s “Wind Blown”
Set in 2026, we meet Pearl, a water neomage, who meets another of her kind, an air mage. It tells of the first neomages who struggle to understand their power, their abilities to twist the leftover energies of creation.
A theory is noted that the first neomages probably mutated in the womb of human mothers who survived all three plagues.
Faith Hunter’s “TNT”
Set in 2035, it’s the viewpoint of Junior who tells how the seraphs’ judgment doomed the town, how he and a very few others survived with the first instances of deadmining. “TNT” also mentions the new orthodox religious and their police.
Lou J Berger’s “Epena’s Epiphany”
Set in 2048 in Moloka’i somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, the perspective is via the bullied Epena Kawai who battles against a Dark seraph, desperate to save her little cousin. A dangerous need that finally allows Epena to learn the truth about her neomage parents.
Ken Schrader’s “The Price of Power”
Set in 2048, a deadmining expedition explains the limits of a neomage who accompanies a team to “harvest” what exists in an abandoned town only to encounter something evil who wants to escape.
Faith Hunter’s “Day One”
Set in 2050, this story explains the mage-rut, what sets it off, what the results are, and how neomages cope with it.
Spike Y Jones’ “Monster”
Set between 2050 and 2063, it’s a tale of young musings and sword play just before a rut is set to occur in New Orleans and the boys encounter a seraph whom they beg for help. By the time the story gets to 2063, Damocles, an omega mage, has a band of warriors heading toward St Louis to battle a fallen.
It certainly creates tension, as Jones creates some nasty problems for the band to struggle against.
Faith Hunter’s “Wheels in Motion”
Set in 2064, it’s early in Daria’s life as she attempts a spell to gain souls for the neomages and redemption for the watchers.
The Characters
Daria, a.k.a. Lolo, will be Thorn’s grandmother. Emilel, a first generation kylen, is a firstborn of Daria and Barak, a Watcher imprisoned by the Darkness.
Woodrift is a River mage; Evelyn is a Moon mage. Together, Daria believes they can produce an omega mage, Thorn.
Faith Hunter’s “Bait”
Set in 2065, this story involves a neomage man of the Muslim faith in this new era who is suffering for a greater good.
Diana Pharaoh Francis’ “Ashes and Dust”
Set in 2069, we follow the trail of Mistral Woods as he journeys to Tarrytown to trade. There doesn’t seem to be any purpose in Mistral’s torture other than because his “master” can.
It’s sweet the care Mistral takes of his mules, Ben and Buck. And it’s interesting how much Mistral, with the ability to draw the fertility of anything, hates both Light and Dark. Nara March is quite the contrast to Charles Flanders. She wants to help the ill Mistral while Charles wants him gone. Nara has no intention of her or her fellow citizens leaving town, and she insists that Mistral figure it out.
Ooh, another theory. This one believes the Most High had turned the Fallen into reflections of their inner ugliness.
Faith Hunter’s “Storm Songs”
In 2075, it’s a story of neomages working a spell to move a hurricane where it can do good instead of bad. And the value of this contracted work.
Christina Stiles’ “Defiance”
It’s 2088, is a nasty story about kidnapped children forced to be soldiers with an even nastier end for the girls. One of the best parts of “Defiance” is how supportive the kids are of each other.
Spike Y Jones’ “The Stars were Right”
It’s 2096 and there’s an obnoxious director who blasphemes right and left thinking he’s all that. He is so NOT happy when the seraphs launch his precious satellite without giving him a chance for the BIG moment.
Faith Hunter’s “Alone”
It’s 2106 and Thorn and Rose St Croix are hanging out at a sidewalk café when Thorn’s gift tears her mind open. It’s primarily the tale of Thorn’s journey to Mineral City and her adventures on the train. Hunter makes some pointed comments about humans who hate mages, but not enough to eschew the benefits of those amulets. Hypocrites.
Hmm, Hunter mentions a dragon story where they and humans are friends . . . Pern, anyone, *grin*.
Tamsin L Silver’s “Mettilwynd”
It’s a tale of piracy from 2107 to 2115, we begin with a story of two girls kidnapped by pirates in Mumbai, a partial rescue, and . . . years later, a final rescue with the truth coming out after travels throughout the South China Sea. Definitely interesting, if somewhat confusing and juvenile. It does bring on thoughts of the Dread Pirate Roberts.
Faith Hunter’s “Sons”
It’s 2112 with a mother willing to do anything to save her son.
Melissa McArthur’s “Requiem of the Sea”
It’s 2113 and a tale of two young, unthinking neomages seduced by a more pure taste of their abilities.
Faith Hunter’s “The Best Laid Plans”
It’s 2116 and Audric has been deadmining, avoiding the plan Lolo has set for him. Until he finally shows up at Thorn’s Gems and is sucked under.
The Characters
Audric Cooper, a deadminer, is a mule set on his path by Lolo, a neomage priestess and Thorn St Croix’s grandmother. Jacey and Rupert Stanhope are Thorn’s partners in her shop, Thorn’s Gems, which is based in Mineral City.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black with pale yellow text. I think it’s Thorn in black waving her magic as electric green feathers in a corridor of metal-framed walls. The series info is at the top with the title immediately below and the info about the number of stories in this World of Thorn St Croix. On the left, starting at Thorn’s shoulder is a list of the authors with white text at the bottom informing us of the editors. On the far right bottom is a colophon.
The title is about the Trials suffered by an assortment of characters.
