REVIEWS for THE CHRONICLES OF CALEATH... 2011-12


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REVIEW of BOOK ONE in 
The Chronicles of Caleath
EXILED: Autumn's Peril.
5.0 out of 5 stars FIVE stars Best series starter!!!!, May 15, 2012
By ScubaSteve - 
This is one of the best books I have read in a long while!

The main character "Caleath" is awesome, a total badass who is often also the slightly reluctant good-guy.
The story takes place in a fantasy world that doesn't over-indulge in complicated names or histories but it's also a sci-fi that you don't have to be a nerd to understand.

 But don't think for a second that it's too tame or "young reader". It's full of grimy fighting, power-hungry folks with twisted and dubious motives and a hero who is pushed to the brink of physical endurance and sanity. 

Think a tech-savy-futuristic-dude-who-can -fight-like-Spartacus, stranded in a magical world. The result? Put down what you're reading now and prepare to be transported.

Reviewed by Edith Parzefall

5.0 out of 5 stars From Edith Parzefall winner of an ebook copy through Wendy L's blog.

Exiled: Autumn's Peril is the first book in Rosalie Skinners's Chronicles of Caleath. So before you start reading this one, be aware that it's highly addictive and you'll crave the next book in the series. The good news is: the next seven books are supposed to be released in monthly intervals by MuseItUp
Publishing.

Autumn's Peril weaves an intriguing tale where sci-fi meets fantasy. A planet still in its middle ages becomes the setting for a vicious real life game  transmitted to an entertainment-craving audience spread through the federation of advanced worlds. Former Game Master and champion Caleath fights for his  life in an archaic world, while the vengeful organizer tightens the net around him, not to mention an ignorant local mage getting in his way.

Caleath is a nicely ambiguous character, not your foolhardy hero but a man fighting for survival while trying to preserve his humanity. The last thing he needs is an accidental hostage, but even she can't help rooting for him. As
their fates become entwined, a troubled Tristan and Isolde romance unfolds.

Fast-paced and vividly written, the story takes unexpected twists that keep
you turning the pages. Even though you find yourself on a roller coaster you
can always trust never to be thrown off. Lean back and enjoy the ride.

Book one offers a satisfying end while it keeps you longing for more and
teases with hints at what else lies in stock for our exiled reluctant hero.

Currently Exiled: Autumn's Peril is only available as e-book, but the print
edition should be released within a year.
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REVIEWED BY WENDY LAHARNAR author of THE UNHEWN STONE

 Haunted, Hunted, Spellbinding! January 10, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition

Game Master, Caleath, exiled from the planet Rampart 6, is pursued by Assassins' when it's discovered he could be an Ithaki spawn, one with unique skills and superior genes. Caleath's obsession with the 'Game' has tragic consequences. He is haunted by guilt and by ghostly accusers who died because of it. When he is shipwrecked on an alien planet, in Allorn, a land governed by mages, Caleath, has a chance at a new life if he keeps a low profile. But the evil Ephraim, who exiled him, knows his every move and the mages discover he carries vital data in his memory chip to save the planet from the giant ant creatures, known as the Tarack. The mages are determined to take this knowledge from him.

Tortured in mind and body, but terrified to use the healing nano technology in his possession, he is vengeance-driven with the need to serve justice on the madman, Ephraim, who has innocents tortured and killed in the name of the 'Game'. So, hunted by assassins and wizards, Caleath strives to find the satellite beacon and transmitter, his means to escape and return to Rampart 6, where wizards and magic exist only in virtual reality.


Caleath is a fascinatingly complex character; slave, felon, hero, but with compassion in his nature he must suppress for the sake of survival. His protection of Gwilt, the lovable innocent, threatens to bring him down.


Gwilt is the light that contrasts Caleath's darkness. His admiration of, and desire to follow this exotic stranger brings to Caleath the gift of friendship, but proves to be a dangerous weapon against him. Through Gwilt's curiosity and lust for adventure, we are drawn into the terrifying world of 'a dark soul, black magic and a bloody sword'.


Micro chipped magic and advanced technology underpin the tense, conflict driven action that keeps the reader's heart rate soaring from the initial shipwreck to the climactic confrontation of wizardry. With the tendrils of her wizard's hex, Rosalie Skinner spins her magic. She writes with intelligence and a vivid imagination. Her beautiful phrasing colours the alien world and the characters that inhabit Caleath's bleak adventure. This is a spellbinding Fantasy and Science Fiction thriller.


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REVIEWED BY ANITA DAVISON 
's review on UK AMAZON
5.0 out of 5 starsAncient Worlds and Technology Combine10 Mar 2012
The story opens dramatically, with a shipwreck of `The Albatross' and Caleath's struggles to reach land on the shores of Allorn, where he doesn't waste time on bemoaning his own fate, but swears revenge on Ephrahim, the man who sent him to die.
Nanobots flow through Caleath's bloodstream and give him the ability to retrieve information of unknown cultures from microchips in his brain.
Caleath is convinced old enemies have been sent against him, and the first of these appears in the form of Rybolt, his former best friend, whom he is reluctant to fight.
Rosalie Skinner's hero, Caleath, is a deeply mystical character whose personality is enmeshed in superstition and omens. His sleeping hours are plagued by the spirits of drowned men and despite exhaustion, he refuses to succumb to dreams before dawn in case the ghosts which visited him would haunt his nights.
Ms Skinner combines the setting of a simple primitive people in natural surroundings with a futuristic technology which is overwhelming and far reaching. A contrast of cultures which shouldn't work, but on every level it merges perfectly. Her fighting scenes are fast moving and decisive, where she carves descriptions of another world which mingles with the familiar in an outstanding and more importantly, credible way.
If you like your protagonists evil and the good guys a little tainted, this fantasy novel will transport you into a magical world which will stay with you long after the story is over. But it isn't over, The Chronicles of Caleath continue into Ms Skinner's next book. 
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5 of 5 stars
Exiled: Autumn's Peril delivered a story I couldn't put down. Once I became immersed in Caleath's world I found it extremely difficult to step away. The story is a combination of Science Fiction and Fantasy mixed in a way that intriques and captivates. Allowing for humanity's obsession with 'reality tv', the idea of manipulating a life in order to entertain a viewing audience doesn't seem so far fetched. I guess that's where we can identify with Caleath's angst. The effort he makes, to not only stay alive, but to retain his freedom while being constantly watched, makes compelling reading.
I am glad the next book is already available.
This series has become an instant favourite.
The writing style is delightful.
A realistic but medieval world creates the perfect backdrop for the rollercoaster ride. A clever twist to the genre and written with such clarity I can see it play out as if it is already a movie.
Recommended reading if you love epic Fantasy. Written with obvious care for the craft. Caleath is one character you will never forget.
Five Stars... 
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Review comment from Edifanob on Goodreads...

1120366
's review
Sep 17, 11

5 of 5 stars
bookshelves: my-books, 2011-reads
Read from September 03 to 16, 2011

I like books where the main character is not always loveable and where most of the characters are neither black nor white. Mixed with a fascinating background story which is revealed slowly, fantasy and science fiction, supernatural, magic and tech, Autumn's Peril is a great start for a new eight book series.

Can't wait to read Summer's Peril Winter's Curse.
Fortunately Rosalie Skinner informed me about the confusion with the titles.
You can read her explanation in the comments section..


Full review

5 of 5 stars
 CALEATH: From Hate to Revenge - From Virtual Reality to Reality, September 21, 2011
By 
brienneselwyn -This review is from: Exiled: Autumn's Peril (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
DEBUT:
Exiled:Autumn's Peril (eBook, September 2011) by Rosalie Skinner. This is the first book in The Chronicles of Caleath series. To be honest with in sum eight books it is definitely a series!

My Expectations
After reading the text above and with knowledge of seven more books to follow I expected a great mix of fantasy, science fiction and adventure. And that is what I finally got.

Theme

One of the main themes delivered in her extended description: REVENGE
But that is only half of the truth. The second main theme is TRUSTFULNESS
Both have some companions like discovery, curiosity and not to forget love.

The reader knows from the very beginning that it is revenge what keeps Caleath alive and which is his foremost motif. But it is the realization that counts. And that is where Rosalie Skinner shows strengths. Every step of Caleath on the planet (name unknown) light years from his home in an unknown universe expose something relevant for the mentioned themes above. And that is done in an entertaining way by feeding the reader with small bits of information about everything which is important or will be important in future. The development and the revelation of the themes is like peeling an onion. In the end the themes are like an bottle opener for your emotions.

Setting

I does not take long to identify that Rosalie Skinner took known fantasy topics like put them into a mixer and added her own ideas. The result is a universe with planets somewhere and sometime. Interplanetary travels are possible.
There are worlds with advanced technology and worlds with magic and medieval flair.
The story focus on an unknown planet which is definitely a fantasy world with a medieval touch.
There is magic, communication between animals and human beings, weapons like sword, bow and crossbow. There are several continents inhabited by different cultures. The reader will visit some of them. But there is a serious problem in form of the visit of an uninvited civilization.
The main character Caleath is a very specific being. His body has been modified. There are nanobots in his blood and a kind of hard disc in his head.

The whole world seems to be the realization of a world from the virtual reality game which Caleath played in the past.

Plot

As the first book in The Chronicles of Caleath series Exiled:Autumn's Peril is the anacrusis of Caleath's way to get his revenge. By the end of the book the reader knows who is the target of Caleath's revenge, what has happened in the past, what is going on of the planet without name.

Until the end Rosalie Skinner delivers a high emotional adventure where the main character Caleath desperately tries to change from a reacting to an acting character in order to fulfill his first and foremost goal: Revenge. As he is not the only being on the planet, a lot of people are involved by his actions and/or non actions. Every step he takes, every emotion he shows has an impact on himself and his surrounding. Revenge is based on hate which is a strong emotion. And as soon emotions comes into play every plan gets twists and turns and as there more people with different plans a lot of action takes place. But there is an explanation behind every eruption of violence. Sometimes brooding revenge is the matrix for the genesis of a helix of emotions which lead to modifications and variations of lives and plans.

That may sound a bit vague but in combination with the extended description above you will get an imagination what to expect.

Character(s)

The important characters including Caleath are three-dimensional. Without it would not be possible that they reflect and reverberate all the upcoming emotions.
Rosalie Skinner shows love for Caleath. But she does not hesitate to throw him into dangerous situations and not to mention his feelings.
As in normal life characters do not change immediately. It is great to see that Caleath learning curve based on his reflections and experiences is nothing extraordinary.

There are only a few characters which seem to follow the known black and white scheme. I'm not sure if some of these will change within the next books.

Style

Rosalie Skinner shows her strengths in the transformation of words into emotion. It is inevitable that the reader is emotionally touched and forced to take a stand. It does not matter if one is against Caleath or not. One cannot be neutral.

The story follows an inner hidden rhythm which is like the mix of a damaged saw blade with a roller coaster. It is like you start the engine of a car, then you accelerate, an unexpected curve appears but there is no time to hit the brakes and after the curve you have to cross a track, where you miss the train by with a sudden speedup followed by an ascent which slows you down while it begin to rain and you are sitting in a convertible and someone whispers nice words into your ear and so on and so on. It is amazing. Fortunately there is a kind of stop at the end.

That all is written in a tongue which fits to each character and let you sail from page to page where you meet archaic words like tryst like you see seagulls above your ship.
The writing breathe emotions. Dialogue is sometimes crisp and harsh but always correspond to the situation.

The Inevitable

To say I liked Exiled:Autumn's Peril would be more than an understatement. It was a pulsating and vibrating read which captivated me within minutes.
Caleath or shall I say Sarran is a fascinating character with depth and full of emotions. Throughout the book I wanted to support him, to kick him in the ass, to remind him, to calm him down.
The setting is great mix of fantasy and science fiction, the onion peeling like revelation of Caleath's past, the vivid story telling including a band with from torture to love, from dialogue to fight, granted an extraordinary reading pleasure.

If you look for an emotional character who desperately tries to change from reaction to action limited to one planet with unknown continents and cultures framed in a fantasy and science fiction setting then read Exiled:Autumn's Peril by Rosalie Skinner.

From virtual reality to reality - From hate to revenge:
Exiled:Autumn's Peril is a strong debut with a lot of potential.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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REVIEW of BOOK TWO in 
The Chronicles of Caleath
EXILED: Winter's Curse.
Reviewed by Edith Parzefall

The second book in Caleath’s Chronicles is out now. I devoured it in no time. The story continues where Autumn’s Peril left off. Rosalie Skinner skillfully weaves in back story to fill in new readers and remind ‘old’ ones of what happened before while the new adventure unfolds–without a moment of boredom.

Her witty sense of irony brightens the dark cold atmosphere of this wintery challenge. While Caleath gets side-tracked and burdened with followers who depend on him, the danger of giant ants destroying the world he’s been stranded in keeps growing. New characters add conflict, tension, humor and charm. I’m still fascinated with the combination of of science fiction and an archaic world of mages, dragons, and semi-divine Vergöttern.

Find out more about Caleath’s Cronicles at Rosalie Skinner’s website or Wendy Laharnar’s Blog. She once again hosted the release party.
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REVIEW of BOOK THREE in 
The Chronicles of Caleath
EXILED: The Legacy of Lathraine's Pledge.
Reviewed by Edi's Book Lighthouse and Edith Parzefall
from Edi's Book Lighthouse...
- Exiled: The Legacy of Lathraine's Pledge (eBook, November 11th 2011) [MuseItUp Publishing] by Rosalie Skinner,

5 of 5 stars

This is the first book which I read on our brand new e-book reader!!
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"Another great book in the series. Full of magic, supernatural,self-doubt, revenge, friendship, trust, deception and adventure. Characters to love and to hate.
Can't wait to read the next book.
"

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5 of 5 stars
 Wonderful reunion with good old friends, January 19, 2012
By 
This review is from: Exiled: The Legacy of Lathraine's Pledge (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
I was really looking forward to reading the third book in The Chronicles of Caleath and wasn't disappointed at all. The Legacy of Lathraine's Pledge is beautifully written. Rosalie Skinner comes up with amazing descriptions and comparisons that make you smile or send a shiver down your back. The ebb and flow of intense, moving moments lightened by humorous encounters or witty dialogues carried me away on a wonderful journey in an intriguing world where fantasy meets science fiction. Highly recommended, but you better start from the beginning so as not to miss anything! The first book is Exiled: Autumn's Peril.
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5 of 5 stars More at stake than ever, April 4, 2012
This review is from: Exiled: The Battle for Enderseer Hold (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
In the Battle for Enderseer Hold, Rosalie Skinner sure raises the stakes for her protagonists and antagonists. A chilling and riveting read from start to finish. Dramatic decisions affecting everyone he cares about lie ahead for our experienced player of virtual games. Caleath's journey never gets boring. Each book introduces intriguing new elements as the world of his exile enlarges.



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4.0 out of 5 stars A Dark Read Mixing Sci Fi with Fantasy, 26 May 2012
This review is from: Exiled: Autumn's Peril-Book One (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
A friend recommended this book to me and I sure am glad she did. I really enjoyed reading it. Years ago I read a lot of sci fi and fantasy, but haven't had access to as much recently. This book does an excellent job of combining both scientific and magical elements into one exciting story. I am really looking forward to losing myself in the rest of the series.

You shouldn't read this book if you like happy, light-hearted books that fill you only with warm fuzzy feelings. The book instead shows and accepts the darker side of the characters and their flaws and we see them clearly. Although the main character might not exactly be considered loveable, but I do find myself respecting and even liking him. It will be interesting to see how he develops as the series continues and to see what other characters end up making of him.

In my opinion, this is a very good book that has the potential to be a GREAT book if placed in the hands of a truly competent editor. Unfortunately those seem to be hard to come by and not just with smaller publishing houses. The issues needing attention are two-fold. The basic copy editing/proofreading is quite simply insufficient (I hope it is a matter of insufficiency and not pure incompetence). Beyond that, I think a skilled editor could have helped the author find a way to make the beginning less confusing and easier for a reader to get into. It can be a bit tricky initially to sort out the many characters and influences and the scientific and magical elements. Once you get past the start, any lingering confusions are quickly cleared up.


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5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than Book 1, 26 May 2012
By bexDK -
This review is from: Exiled: Winter's Curse-Book Two (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)

This second book in the series is even better than the first. I was very sad for it to end, because I was not ready to leave Caleath's world.

The need for a better editor remains, but is less invasive in this volume. People less perturbed by (or should I say obsessed with?) misplaced commas and other similar issues may not even understand my complaint.

Despite this, I am confident the book deserves one of my rare five star reviews. Now I must get my hands on the next one...


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5.0 out of 5 stars It's worth putting everything else aside to read this book!, 30 May 2012
By bexDK -
This review is from: Exiled: The Legacy of Lathraine's Pledge-Book Three (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
Caleath's saga and my happiness as the reader continues in this excellent third volume. I was completely enthralled in Skinner's creative world and resented any intrusion from my real one. The disadvantage of reading in the daytime is the frequency of interruptions, which rarely intrude when I read in the night. But I was too impatient for the story to continue to wait for a time I could read in peace. The quality of the book proved my eagerness warranted. As I turned the last virtual page, I wished time allowed me to start the next volume immediately, but alas my husband required my presence at the dinner table. I plan to return to this fascinating fictive world before darkness falls tonight by starting the next volume.

This series is well worth putting other activities and books aside for the pleasure of reading it. I am sure I will be happily rereading these several times in the future.

Luckily they fit on the cell phone ereader so I can conveniently retreat to them at any boring moment! But I do wish I had paper copies as well. There is something about a real book that an ebook just can't match or beat.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A spellbinding tale from a series that just keeps getting better!, 30 May 2012
By bexDK -
This review is from: Exiled: The Battle for Enderseer Hold-Book Four (The Chronicles of Caleath) (Kindle Edition)
The reader is held as spellbound as the witch's victims while Caleath is pressed even further beyond his limits in this exciting volume. His continued efforts to make amends and protect innocent make him almost loveable, at least sympathetic, despite the tragedies he is forced to cause and threaten.

My retreat into his world is as fascinating and wonderful as his life is painful and terrible. Skinner is definitely a skilled and competent writer, seamlessly weaving science and magic into one enthralling tale.

Many longer series deteriorate in quality as they continue. But Skinner's series shows no signs of decay. If anything, it improves as it proceeds. The plot continues to offer unexpected twists and turns as new challenges and interesting, well-developed characters enter and exit the story.