Post Published on October 3, 2011.
Last Updated on July 12, 2021 by davemackey.

Introduction

I don’t read a lot of fiction…well, let me rephrase that…I read a lot of fiction but not when compared to the amount of non-fiction. I’m always looking for a good fiction read to relax with – and share with my wonderful wife (Charity). When it comes to fiction I’m fairly picky. While I read widely in my childhood and teen years when it came to fiction I’ve since significantly refined my tastes.

Unfortunately, I find it fairly difficult to find good fiction books, so when I find one I want to share it. It is my humble opinion that every individual should seek to maintain a supply of recreational materials (e.g. books, movies, other venues) which they can utilize whenever the need arises. Recently I found another work (and author) to add to my list.

The Awakened is the freshman endeavor by Jason Tesar and is a three-part trilogy. I have only finished the first book (and am currently blazing through the second) – but I’ve read enough to know that I love it!

Synopsis

I prefer not to know much about the storyline from the books I am about to read. For those who are like me here are a few key themes that may peak your interest: ancient, nephilim, angels, mythology, parallel worlds (maybe?), action, intrigue, ethics. For those who are interested in a real synopsis, here is the description from Jason Tesar’s page:

“THE HISTORY: Over five thousand years ago, a renegade faction of angels abandoned the spiritual realm and began their inhabitation of earth. Worshiped as gods for their wisdom and power, they corrupted the realm of the physical and forever altered the course of history.
THE PROPHECY: Amidst the chaos of a dying world, a lone voice foretold the awakening of a warrior who would bring an end to this evil perpetrated against all of creation. But with the cataclysmic destruction of earth and rebirth of humanity, the prophecy went unfulfilled and eventually faded from the memory of our kind—until now!
THE AWAKENED: The physical dimension is fractured. What remain now are numerous fragmented worlds moving simultaneously through time, sharing a common history, connected only by a guarded portal. On a parallel earth, in the city of Bastul, Colonel Adair Lorus disappears while investigating the death of an informant, triggering a series of events which will tear his family apart and set in motion the resolution of an ancient struggle.
Kael, sentenced to death after rising up against the cruel leadership of his new step-father, is rescued from prison and trained in the arts of war by a mystical order of clerics. Excelling in every aspect of his training, Kael inwardly struggles to give himself fully to the methods of his new family, or the god they worship.
Maeryn, bitter over the disappearance of her husband and supposed execution of her son, fears for her life at the hands of her newly appointed husband. Finding comfort and purpose in her unborn child, she determines to undermine his authority by reaching out to an underground social movement known as the Resistance.
After being forced from his home, Kael’s former mentor, Saba, uncovers a clue to Adair’s disappearance. Sensing a connection to his own forgotten past, Saba begins an investigation which leads to the discovery of a secret military organization operating within the Orudan Empire.
In book one of his debut series, Jason Tesar delves into the heart of an ancient legend, embarking on an epic saga that will journey from earth’s mythological past to its post-apocalyptic future, blending the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, and military/political suspense.”

Review

Jason Tesar has a great future as an author – if his works continue to maintain the quality and innovation of The Awakened. The novels offer consistently quality wordmanship, a compelling storyline, intriguing mysteries, and a sweet balance of story progression and parallel threads¹Many authors abuse parallel threads to offer ‘page-turning’ suspense instead of real suspense. The flipping between threads is done to force the reader to turn the pages, in an endeavor to get back to another thread in the story…to get to those threads which advance the story. Tesar uses parallel threads but not to create this forced reading experience, but as a means of advancing the story and maintaining a complex and thrilling plot.

Tesar’s work is likely to appeal to a wide variety of readers. His works should attract fans of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and Space Trilogy. They may also attract fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, though the works are not in the strict fantasy realm, being much more along the lines of Lewis’ Space Trilogy. More contemporaneously, I would recommend Tesar’s works to fans of Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, Michael Crichton, James Rollins, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and Tosca Lee.

If you like cerebral, action-packed page-turners – Tesar’s work should immediately hit the top of your reading list. I’m really excited at the quantity of work Tesar is turning out and optimistic that he will continue to deliver the quality of work he has demonstrated thus far.

Ohh, and did I mention the books are available for $2.99 for the Amazon Kindle and even better the first book is free!?!