Well, since I have two of the Cloud Prophecy books on my computer and this was free, I thought - hey why not? I was pleasantly surprised. I had expected a free book to be badly written, boring and disappointing (possibly should not, as the author of a free book, be judging free books here) but it was not! The writing was good, and I could follow it without any complaints which is a rather big deal from someone who complains about the slightest thing in writing. The plot, albeit small, was intriguing. The characters were underdeveloped because it's a short story but I definitely want to know more! And overall it has convinced me that I definitely want to read the rest of the Song of Eloh novels. Quite impressive for a free novella. Books often hook me on the first words, but I have to say the last lines of Megg Jensen’s “The Initiate” gave me pause. Although I will leave them for other readers to discover, they serve as true in real life as they do for the two series this short story bridges – The Swarm Trilogy and The Cloud Prophet Trilogy.In the story, every ten years, ten girls are sacrificed in the hopes that the gods will choose a chosen one, but no one ever survives the trial by fire. Eloh, who does not believe in the gods, is one such initiate.Her fate in this story is a blessing and a curse, and fans of Jensen will easily pick up the threads that connect it with her two series. However, even if you haven’t experienced her other books, “The Initiate” can easily stand alone. But, when you read it, you’ll definitely want to discover the affect this one event has on the rest of Jensen’s universe.
What do You think about The Initiate (2011)?
An enticing prelude to the series! Can't wait to read on.
—DNA
Very interesting concept. Review to come.
—kameronmf
Nice tie in to the author's two series.
—kidklimax
