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The Healing Crystal #2
Fall of Eden
Myths are but shadows of a greater truth.
What is the Healing Crystal and who is the rightful heir? Is it a religious object or a powerful weapon? Does it belong to a fallen line of kings or to the colonists of Survin? Should its fate be left in the hands of the young and inexperienced Kairma or to Narvin, the last descendent of a line of kings?
Kairma holds the Crystal and believes she will become the next leader of Survin, while her younger sister Kinter, believes she, not Kairma, is the rightful heir. Narvin believes the Healing Crystal is the Star of Genesis, a powerful relic his ancestors have been seeking for centuries.
Determined to possess the object that will return him to his glory, Narvin is unwavering in his quest to possess it, and Kairma is caught in a fierce race across barren deserts and rugged mountains to a shattering finish where the winner must decide the fate of the world.
What is the Healing Crystal and who is the rightful heir? Is it a religious object or a powerful weapon? Does it belong to a fallen line of kings or to the colonists of Survin? Should its fate be left in the hands of the young and inexperienced Kairma or to Narvin, the last descendent of a line of kings?
Kairma holds the Crystal and believes she will become the next leader of Survin, while her younger sister Kinter, believes she, not Kairma, is the rightful heir. Narvin believes the Healing Crystal is the Star of Genesis, a powerful relic his ancestors have been seeking for centuries.
Determined to possess the object that will return him to his glory, Narvin is unwavering in his quest to possess it, and Kairma is caught in a fierce race across barren deserts and rugged mountains to a shattering finish where the winner must decide the fate of the world.
456 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
13 people want to read
About the author
Michele Poague
7Ìýbooks15ÌýfollowersMy parents lived in Denver in 1956 and often went home for the holidays. My uncle Jim was totally freaked out driving 800 miles, in the dead of winter, through Nebraska farm land, with a woman who could go into labor at any minute, so I was born Michele Rae Jeffryes in Newman Grove, Nebraska.
I grew up in southwest Denver with 5 sisters and a brother. Of course in the 1960's, that meant somewhere near 1st and Federal. Now southwest Denver is closer to Chatfield Reservoir. I was fifteen when I was spirited away by my mother and stepfather to the strange land of Sioux Falls, SD, where I wrote my first short story. It was a paranormal romance about the ghost of a man's first wife trying to kill his second wife. Like so many things teenagers write, it was never meant for publication.
After college, when I was twenty-one, I moved to Las Vegas for six years where I worked in the Bar & Night Club business, and then returned to Denver in 1984. I like the weather here.
I had read the Dragonriders of Pern, and Anne McCaffrey made writing look easy. It wasn't. In the 80's and 90's I didn't have the time to write because I had a house to remodel, a career I had to invent, and a world to change through politics. As a fundraising director I wrote and designed convention brochures, and while working for Shotgun Willies, I wrote training manuals and ad copy. I'm still employed with Shotgun Willies, but my work leans more toward management and accounting now.
I grew up in southwest Denver with 5 sisters and a brother. Of course in the 1960's, that meant somewhere near 1st and Federal. Now southwest Denver is closer to Chatfield Reservoir. I was fifteen when I was spirited away by my mother and stepfather to the strange land of Sioux Falls, SD, where I wrote my first short story. It was a paranormal romance about the ghost of a man's first wife trying to kill his second wife. Like so many things teenagers write, it was never meant for publication.
After college, when I was twenty-one, I moved to Las Vegas for six years where I worked in the Bar & Night Club business, and then returned to Denver in 1984. I like the weather here.
I had read the Dragonriders of Pern, and Anne McCaffrey made writing look easy. It wasn't. In the 80's and 90's I didn't have the time to write because I had a house to remodel, a career I had to invent, and a world to change through politics. As a fundraising director I wrote and designed convention brochures, and while working for Shotgun Willies, I wrote training manuals and ad copy. I'm still employed with Shotgun Willies, but my work leans more toward management and accounting now.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 7, 2011
In this book Narvin has decided to go after the Healing Crystal, or as he call's it The Star Of Genesis and steal it for himself, and he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. everyone is expendable to him, he is a really selfish horrible man! Artuk his "deputy" come "man servant" is not as dogged down as he first made out, in fact I think he is as devious as Narvin is. Varden is a cruel killer hired by Narvin, I won't give away major spoilers but lets just say that Varden gets what he deserves.
We delve further into the characters lives and their individual mind sets. Kairma has to lead and keep the Crystal safe. Kairma still has two possible suitors, Naturi who has been brought up believing he will be Comad, who perhaps does not know Kairma as well as he first thought he did. Naturi also questions everything Karima says and does. Whereas Collin deeply, truly loves Kairma and will follow her to the ends of the earth and do her bidding without question or thought for his own safety.
We lose some loved characters in this book, read it to find out who! and the rest of the group have to come to terms with their grief together.
We also see what is happening in Survine too, the many men, women and children killed when Survine was taken by Narvin and his men. We learn a little more about the madic, the white ones as well as more about the survinees.
Kairma also discovers new knowledge about the Crystal as well as the true history of her people. Kairma has many difficult choices to make during this book. Sacrifices have to be made in order to survive at all.
I again loved the pace of the book, the way it kept me reading answering my questions as we went along, and making me think of even more possibilities and questions, so much so, I will definitely be putting bk3 on my to be read list.
Again I loved the cover, with the picture of the Crystal on it. I love the imagery, the brilliant descriptions, you feel the frustration Kairma has with her sister Kinter. You read about and literally see the jealousy that Kinter has around Kairma. Kinter believes that she should be the next Miral not Kairma.
I would say if you buy bk1 treat yourself to bk2 aswell as I am sure you will wish to read it straightaway. The only disappointment I have is that bk3 isn't out yet! A MUST BUY
We delve further into the characters lives and their individual mind sets. Kairma has to lead and keep the Crystal safe. Kairma still has two possible suitors, Naturi who has been brought up believing he will be Comad, who perhaps does not know Kairma as well as he first thought he did. Naturi also questions everything Karima says and does. Whereas Collin deeply, truly loves Kairma and will follow her to the ends of the earth and do her bidding without question or thought for his own safety.
We lose some loved characters in this book, read it to find out who! and the rest of the group have to come to terms with their grief together.
We also see what is happening in Survine too, the many men, women and children killed when Survine was taken by Narvin and his men. We learn a little more about the madic, the white ones as well as more about the survinees.
Kairma also discovers new knowledge about the Crystal as well as the true history of her people. Kairma has many difficult choices to make during this book. Sacrifices have to be made in order to survive at all.
I again loved the pace of the book, the way it kept me reading answering my questions as we went along, and making me think of even more possibilities and questions, so much so, I will definitely be putting bk3 on my to be read list.
Again I loved the cover, with the picture of the Crystal on it. I love the imagery, the brilliant descriptions, you feel the frustration Kairma has with her sister Kinter. You read about and literally see the jealousy that Kinter has around Kairma. Kinter believes that she should be the next Miral not Kairma.
I would say if you buy bk1 treat yourself to bk2 aswell as I am sure you will wish to read it straightaway. The only disappointment I have is that bk3 isn't out yet! A MUST BUY
September 26, 2012
Fall of Eden is the second book in The Healing Crystal series. As I started this series I thought I knew what would be in the story. Let me tell you, if you have preconceived notions when you start reading, they will soon be thrown out the door. This series will lead you in one direction and as soon as you get comfortable, hang on, it soon switches gear and you are off in a new direction. I liked this aspect with Michele's writing. There were many surprises that kept you on your toes and guessing what would happen next. You also are continually wondering who to cheer for. Who truly are the good guys and the bad guys?
What I have just described, is a lot what main character Kairma goes through herself throughout the first two books. She goes through a lot of wondering who to trust, who to love, and whether to take on the role she has been raised all of her life to ascend to. Kairma and her sister Kinter, have a love/hate relationship. Kinter thinks she should be the keeper of the crystal instead of Kairma. There were times I wanted to yell at Kinter for being a brat. Then of course we have a love triangle between Kairma, Collin and Naturi. Who will she end up with? The author stretches her writing skills, as she writes a story with many characters and the growth arcs that develop them along the way. This takes great talent to develop a diversified world that is found within the pages of The Healing Crystal series. As I read, I had so many questions come up. Let me tell you, the ending of Fall of Eden will still leave you with many new questions. The biggest question is, "Why can't the third book be in my hands right now?"
What I have just described, is a lot what main character Kairma goes through herself throughout the first two books. She goes through a lot of wondering who to trust, who to love, and whether to take on the role she has been raised all of her life to ascend to. Kairma and her sister Kinter, have a love/hate relationship. Kinter thinks she should be the keeper of the crystal instead of Kairma. There were times I wanted to yell at Kinter for being a brat. Then of course we have a love triangle between Kairma, Collin and Naturi. Who will she end up with? The author stretches her writing skills, as she writes a story with many characters and the growth arcs that develop them along the way. This takes great talent to develop a diversified world that is found within the pages of The Healing Crystal series. As I read, I had so many questions come up. Let me tell you, the ending of Fall of Eden will still leave you with many new questions. The biggest question is, "Why can't the third book be in my hands right now?"
July 23, 2011
Michele Poague does more than justice with the second book of her trilogy. The characters remain solid and very alive and the action is stepped up. If anything, I found this better than the first book. (In fact, I cried real tears when one of Kairma's brave band dies.) The revelation near the end of the book is perfect.
This second book opens as Kairma is getting ready for the Harvest Celebration which will also be her celebration of womanhood. The people who arrived from Peirson Landing seem to be adjusting to their life in Survin. All seems joyful. Two people, however, don't share in the joy. Colin is still dealing with his feelings for Kairma, sure that he could never win her hand at the Festival, and Kinter is still dealing with the fact she is sure to lose Naturi to Kairma.
Unknown to our young friends, Narvin, a man from Peirson Landing, is overcome with desire for the Healing Crystal believing it is the Star of Genesis, something his family has been seeking for centuries. He believes the crystal has the power to make the world a much better place and he believes he is the right one to wield this power.
Kairma's world is shattered when Narvin comes to Survin seeking the Crystal and his obsession forces Kairma and her friends on a trek through deserts and mountains as they seek to protect the crystal. But a shock awaits everyone and their beliefs are challenged when the Crystal is truly reveled.
The conclusion of this trilogy is due out early 2012 and I am already checking for it!
This second book opens as Kairma is getting ready for the Harvest Celebration which will also be her celebration of womanhood. The people who arrived from Peirson Landing seem to be adjusting to their life in Survin. All seems joyful. Two people, however, don't share in the joy. Colin is still dealing with his feelings for Kairma, sure that he could never win her hand at the Festival, and Kinter is still dealing with the fact she is sure to lose Naturi to Kairma.
Unknown to our young friends, Narvin, a man from Peirson Landing, is overcome with desire for the Healing Crystal believing it is the Star of Genesis, something his family has been seeking for centuries. He believes the crystal has the power to make the world a much better place and he believes he is the right one to wield this power.
Kairma's world is shattered when Narvin comes to Survin seeking the Crystal and his obsession forces Kairma and her friends on a trek through deserts and mountains as they seek to protect the crystal. But a shock awaits everyone and their beliefs are challenged when the Crystal is truly reveled.
The conclusion of this trilogy is due out early 2012 and I am already checking for it!
October 9, 2012
The Healing Crystal trilogy definitely surprised and impressed beyond my expectations. Not only is it original and amazingly creative, it is an epic saga focused on character growth and development.
Fall of Eden, the second installment in this trilogy, picks up right where Heir to Power left off. The people of Survin have discovered the world outside of their community (or rather the people from outside have discovered them!) Distrust and tension are high and when Narvin, a leader from Pierhson Landing, leads an attack against Survin, everything changes. Kairma and a small group of her friends and family are forced to make a run for their lives. And in the process they finally uncover the shocking secrets to their past.
I love the way little clues spread throughout the books slowly uncover the mystery surrounding Survin's origins. It was so interesting to see all the puzzle pieces coming together to create such a unique and entertaining story about the future of humanity.
I also love the focus on the characters. In Heir to Power, we watched Kairma's develop into a leader. In Fall of Eden, Kairma continues her growth by facing trials and making difficult decisions. Her mistakes make her relatable and human while her triumphs make her a character worth admiring.
And Kairma is not the only one whose character develops. Collin, Naturi, Kinter, Zedic, Toric, and Trep's characters are all changed by their experiences. Some show their true colors while others discover who they are and what they are capable of.
Though Fall of Eden is a sequel, it definitely does not suffer from "second book syndrome". In fact, its fast pace adventure and shocking revelations make it even more exciting and entertaining than the first one!
I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, or just an entertaining and original book.
Fall of Eden, the second installment in this trilogy, picks up right where Heir to Power left off. The people of Survin have discovered the world outside of their community (or rather the people from outside have discovered them!) Distrust and tension are high and when Narvin, a leader from Pierhson Landing, leads an attack against Survin, everything changes. Kairma and a small group of her friends and family are forced to make a run for their lives. And in the process they finally uncover the shocking secrets to their past.
I love the way little clues spread throughout the books slowly uncover the mystery surrounding Survin's origins. It was so interesting to see all the puzzle pieces coming together to create such a unique and entertaining story about the future of humanity.
I also love the focus on the characters. In Heir to Power, we watched Kairma's develop into a leader. In Fall of Eden, Kairma continues her growth by facing trials and making difficult decisions. Her mistakes make her relatable and human while her triumphs make her a character worth admiring.
And Kairma is not the only one whose character develops. Collin, Naturi, Kinter, Zedic, Toric, and Trep's characters are all changed by their experiences. Some show their true colors while others discover who they are and what they are capable of.
Though Fall of Eden is a sequel, it definitely does not suffer from "second book syndrome". In fact, its fast pace adventure and shocking revelations make it even more exciting and entertaining than the first one!
I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, or just an entertaining and original book.
September 27, 2012
The first words out of my mouth are going to be "holy epic long book"! Yes, wow. I guess I didn't realize that this was an epic fantasy. Meaning very long. This is not your typical sit down and breeze through it book. But if you are an epic fantasy fan, you will love this book.
I was very confused in the beginning. There were so many character and they all had odd names that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. It took me awhile to remember and feel like I almost had a grasp on the characters. I did not read the first book in the series and that could be a big contributing factor to my confusion.
There is something that kept pulling me back to this book. Kairma leads her little band of followers on quite a journey through all sorts of terrain. Being chased by an evil man with no care for anything but himself and the power he seeks, makes the journey even more intense.
I felt bad for Kairma. The whole book she is trying to be a leader, trying to make good decisions. She feels a lot of self doubt but she continues on. There were a lot of things that did not endear me to Kairma but I really felt for her plight and the weight she carried on her shoulders. It seemed there was always something or someone working against her. The moment where she wonders why she can't catch a break is the moment I connected with her.
If I talked about all the characters, I would be here for a week, so I'm going to leave my character talk with Kairma. :) But I will say I love Ris and Collin. I'm rooting for the White Ones.
I enjoyed this book. I don't think epic fantasy is my favorite go-to genre so I was pleasantly surprised by much of it. As with most epics, this story is not over yet. There is more to come and (fingers crossed) good things for Kairma's people.
Content: mild swearing, some sexual situations (crass talk, rape)
I was very confused in the beginning. There were so many character and they all had odd names that I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. It took me awhile to remember and feel like I almost had a grasp on the characters. I did not read the first book in the series and that could be a big contributing factor to my confusion.
There is something that kept pulling me back to this book. Kairma leads her little band of followers on quite a journey through all sorts of terrain. Being chased by an evil man with no care for anything but himself and the power he seeks, makes the journey even more intense.
I felt bad for Kairma. The whole book she is trying to be a leader, trying to make good decisions. She feels a lot of self doubt but she continues on. There were a lot of things that did not endear me to Kairma but I really felt for her plight and the weight she carried on her shoulders. It seemed there was always something or someone working against her. The moment where she wonders why she can't catch a break is the moment I connected with her.
If I talked about all the characters, I would be here for a week, so I'm going to leave my character talk with Kairma. :) But I will say I love Ris and Collin. I'm rooting for the White Ones.
I enjoyed this book. I don't think epic fantasy is my favorite go-to genre so I was pleasantly surprised by much of it. As with most epics, this story is not over yet. There is more to come and (fingers crossed) good things for Kairma's people.
Content: mild swearing, some sexual situations (crass talk, rape)
September 25, 2012
Fall of Eden is the second in a science fiction trilogy focused on an object called the Healing Crystal. Kairma is the expected leader to be and as such carries the Crystal for her people. Because of an illness suffered as a child, Kairma looks different than the rest of her people and is somewhat ostracized because of it. She also has no desire to be her people's chosen leader, but circumstances force her into a leadership position before she is ready. Her sister, Kinter, is more than willing to keep the Crystal in her place, and as such there is ongoing conflict between the two, not to mention than Kinter favors Naturi, Kairma's expected mate. When the Survins make contact with the outside world, everything starts to change.
This is a fabulous series with not only an interesting sci-fi plot but lots of character development as Kairma's family and people face major changes in their beliefs and lifestyle. Well-written and intriguing, this book reads like most second books in trilogies, there are many questions that haven't been answered that hopefully will be answered in book three. There are plenty of twists and turns and conflicts. Questions of morals and ethics are also developed. What is acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to protecting one's home, family, and community? I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy a detailed, epic-sized, science fiction story.
This is a fabulous series with not only an interesting sci-fi plot but lots of character development as Kairma's family and people face major changes in their beliefs and lifestyle. Well-written and intriguing, this book reads like most second books in trilogies, there are many questions that haven't been answered that hopefully will be answered in book three. There are plenty of twists and turns and conflicts. Questions of morals and ethics are also developed. What is acceptable and unacceptable when it comes to protecting one's home, family, and community? I highly recommend this series for those who enjoy a detailed, epic-sized, science fiction story.
February 14, 2012
I think Michele has a brilliant future as a writer.
November 7, 2013
This review also on my blog, !
This book isn’t going to be for everyone. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of information. To put it simply, there’s a lot going on. But if you're patient and in the mood for a really awesome scifi novel, then you're not going to want to miss this series.
This book picked up pretty much right where Heir to Power left off. Everyone is safely back in Survin and preparing for the Harvest Festival. But then their town is invaded by Madics and Kairma is forced to go on the run to protect the Crystal. She is accompanied by Zedic, Collin, Naturi, Kinter, and Trep. The book switches between the perspectives of Kairma's group, The Survinees back home, and Narvin (the evil Overseer that is hunting down the Crystal). There's a lot of tension in this book as Kairma's group runs for their lives and I felt bad because they could never seem to catch a break. There are a lot of cool survival techniques in this book that I really enjoyed reading about. There’s a lot of talk of herbs and different plants you can eat. These people can pretty much do everything. They can hunt, collect the proper herbs, and tan hides. They are ready for the wilderness. I on the other hand, would die in the first five minutes.
I wish I could talk about all the characters, but we would be here for days if I did so I'll just mention my favorites. Kairma: obviously. She's really strong even though she doesn't think she is. Kairma struggles throughout this book to make the right decisions and she's constantly trying to please everybody (which of course never works out). I was proud of Kairma for holding her ground on certain issues though. It took courage to make some of her decisions and she did a great job. She does anger quickly and I felt bad for Kinter, her younger sister, who tended to take the brunt of her anger. At the same time though, Kinter did some pretty freaking stupid things in this book. I wanted to strangle her at times.
Collin: I love this boy! He is so protective and so loyal to Kairma. But I want him to believe more in himself. He thinks that Naturi would make a better Comad (leader) than he would, but I disagree. I think Collin would be great for the job, he just needs to have more confidence. The romance between him and Kairma was so sweet. I "awwwed" several times throughout the book and got all the warm fuzzies.
Ris: He is a White One who ends up helping Kairma's group. I loved Ris. He was so insightful and so helpful. He is hated by most of the Survinees, but it didn't harden him or make him cold. He was cheerful, helpful, and never complained once, even when the hot sun was burning his skin. Great character addition by the author!
There was a lot of death in this book; Michele Poague was not afraid to kill her characters off, something I appreciated and admired. There are also a lot of dark things that happen including rape. I think that it was handled well, but just be prepared for it as you're reading. I did find that some of the emotions didn't translate well. I had a hard time connecting with certain characters. But this wasn't always the case. I was able to feel Kairma's inner turmoil very well and Kinter's whirlwind emotions. My biggest complaint is that some parts felt a bit anticlimactic to me. We would get all this build up and then the resolution just fell kind of flat.
There's lots of mystery in this book. You're constantly going to be wondering what is going on and how the world got to be the way it is. Well don't worry, we finally get some answers at the end of this book! And the answers are crazy and awesome. I'm so happy we got some more info and now I can't wait to dive into the last book, Ransom, which I'll be reviewing next week for the blog tour. I need to figure out what Kairma is going to do next! Happy reading all!
This book isn’t going to be for everyone. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of information. To put it simply, there’s a lot going on. But if you're patient and in the mood for a really awesome scifi novel, then you're not going to want to miss this series.
This book picked up pretty much right where Heir to Power left off. Everyone is safely back in Survin and preparing for the Harvest Festival. But then their town is invaded by Madics and Kairma is forced to go on the run to protect the Crystal. She is accompanied by Zedic, Collin, Naturi, Kinter, and Trep. The book switches between the perspectives of Kairma's group, The Survinees back home, and Narvin (the evil Overseer that is hunting down the Crystal). There's a lot of tension in this book as Kairma's group runs for their lives and I felt bad because they could never seem to catch a break. There are a lot of cool survival techniques in this book that I really enjoyed reading about. There’s a lot of talk of herbs and different plants you can eat. These people can pretty much do everything. They can hunt, collect the proper herbs, and tan hides. They are ready for the wilderness. I on the other hand, would die in the first five minutes.
I wish I could talk about all the characters, but we would be here for days if I did so I'll just mention my favorites. Kairma: obviously. She's really strong even though she doesn't think she is. Kairma struggles throughout this book to make the right decisions and she's constantly trying to please everybody (which of course never works out). I was proud of Kairma for holding her ground on certain issues though. It took courage to make some of her decisions and she did a great job. She does anger quickly and I felt bad for Kinter, her younger sister, who tended to take the brunt of her anger. At the same time though, Kinter did some pretty freaking stupid things in this book. I wanted to strangle her at times.
Collin: I love this boy! He is so protective and so loyal to Kairma. But I want him to believe more in himself. He thinks that Naturi would make a better Comad (leader) than he would, but I disagree. I think Collin would be great for the job, he just needs to have more confidence. The romance between him and Kairma was so sweet. I "awwwed" several times throughout the book and got all the warm fuzzies.
Ris: He is a White One who ends up helping Kairma's group. I loved Ris. He was so insightful and so helpful. He is hated by most of the Survinees, but it didn't harden him or make him cold. He was cheerful, helpful, and never complained once, even when the hot sun was burning his skin. Great character addition by the author!
There was a lot of death in this book; Michele Poague was not afraid to kill her characters off, something I appreciated and admired. There are also a lot of dark things that happen including rape. I think that it was handled well, but just be prepared for it as you're reading. I did find that some of the emotions didn't translate well. I had a hard time connecting with certain characters. But this wasn't always the case. I was able to feel Kairma's inner turmoil very well and Kinter's whirlwind emotions. My biggest complaint is that some parts felt a bit anticlimactic to me. We would get all this build up and then the resolution just fell kind of flat.
There's lots of mystery in this book. You're constantly going to be wondering what is going on and how the world got to be the way it is. Well don't worry, we finally get some answers at the end of this book! And the answers are crazy and awesome. I'm so happy we got some more info and now I can't wait to dive into the last book, Ransom, which I'll be reviewing next week for the blog tour. I need to figure out what Kairma is going to do next! Happy reading all!
December 14, 2013
I recieved a copy for free in exchange for an honest review. Fall of Eden is the second book in the trilogy. The people of Survin have discovered the outside world. Distrust is high. Narvin a leader from Pierhsen landing leads an attack against Survin everything changes. Kairma her family and friends are forced to run for their lives.And they finally uncover the shocking secrets to their past in the process. I loved all the characters. A great read if you love fantasy sci-fi stories i look forward to reading the third book in the trilogy Ransom.
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