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Mardan's Mark #1
Mardan's Mark
Death is not their deepest fear.
Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity.
She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out.
In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear.
Mardan’s Mark is the award-winning first book in the Mardan’s Mark series.
Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity.
She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out.
In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear.
Mardan’s Mark is the award-winning first book in the Mardan’s Mark series.
455 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 25, 2014
About the author
Kathrese McKee
8 books155 followersTexas author, Kathrese McKee, writes epic adventures for young adults and anyone else who enjoys pirates and princesses combined with life's difficult questions. She is committed to exciting stories, appropriate content, and quality craftsmanship.
Once upon a time, Kathrese worked as a systems engineer. Then, she taught Reading and ESL at the middle school level. These days, she edits fiction, writes fantasy, and turns a blind eye to the feral dust bunnies lurking beneath her desk. Connect with her at kathresemckee.com.
Mardan's Mark, the first book in the Mardan's Mark series, has won a couple of awards:
Winner: 2014 Novel Rocket Launch Pad Contest, MG/YA Category
Finalist: 2014 Phoenix Rattler writing contest, Christian Writers of the West (CWOW) - Arizona's ACFW affiliate
Pirate's Wager, the prequel to the Mardan's Mark series was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Contest in 2019.
Once upon a time, Kathrese worked as a systems engineer. Then, she taught Reading and ESL at the middle school level. These days, she edits fiction, writes fantasy, and turns a blind eye to the feral dust bunnies lurking beneath her desk. Connect with her at kathresemckee.com.
Mardan's Mark, the first book in the Mardan's Mark series, has won a couple of awards:
Winner: 2014 Novel Rocket Launch Pad Contest, MG/YA Category
Finalist: 2014 Phoenix Rattler writing contest, Christian Writers of the West (CWOW) - Arizona's ACFW affiliate
Pirate's Wager, the prequel to the Mardan's Mark series was a finalist in The Wishing Shelf Contest in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 19, 2018
Oh my heart! *happy sigh* I have officially found another fantasy series to love! Mardan's Mark by Kathrese McKee quite exceeded my expectations and held me captivated for the length of an epic journey. ... And, I can't wait to read more! It was amazing, humorous, sweet, and filled with action and adventure.
The story centers around a princess named Srilani, the eldest daughter of King Terson and Lady Kaelan. She is a leader by nature, bold and determined to be heard. But her father continually brushes her opinions and ideas aside; favoring, instead, his son, Jamson, heir to the throne.
Aldan is a slave aboard a pirate ship. He, along with his "brothers", Samazor and Linus, have been slaves for almost as long as they can remember - subject to the whims of Captain Rozar.
But everything they know is about to change as trouble brews between the Twin Kingdoms and Norland. Secrets await realization. Wicked men scheme abductions. And in the midst, a princess and a pirate must learn to work together to keep their families safe.
From almost the very first line, I was enthralled. Mardan's Mark is a very well-written, intriguing, and altogether beautiful fantasy! It didn't leave me bored for a moment; but rather had me excitedly lost in its pages or waiting to return to them! *smiles* Truly, it was fresh and superb. I believe this book is Kathrese McKee's debut novel, and I am quite impressed! Very well done!
The characters were wonderful. I enjoyed being with each POV character ... (which is not always common for me); they were just fantastic! None of them bored me.
Srilani was a little arrogant and spoiled perhaps, for a good bit. I must say, I was a little disgusted, soon after meeting her, when she was disrespectful toward her father and at the same time expected him to treat her and her opinions with utmost respect! Her father may have been in the wrong for treating her so carelessly, but she still should have honored him. So yes. Srilani has a bit of an attitude toward men. But she does learn, and grow through the course of the book; and I quickly came to like her! She has her faults, but she has strengths too ... and learns to admit she's wrong and so on. It was nice to have a so-called "kick-butt" heroine who learns that is not what being a strong woman is all about. Anyway. Can't wait to reunite with Srilani in the next book and see how things go for her!
I liked Aldan very much! He was a calm, strong, guiding force. And his brothers, Sam and Linus, were great too, in different ways! Sam, though annoying at times, made me laugh, and sigh when his tender side showed through. Linus was just mysterious ... and bit shy and quiet, but still deadly. And in another way, sweet. And I simply loved their brotherly relationship! It was so neat, and interesting; and they're all such distinct characters that I very much enjoyed hanging out around the three of them! ^_^
Srilani's sisters, Rene and Maelan, and brother Jamson, were also lovely characters. We perhaps didn't get to know the twins quite as well; but Rene had POV a few times, I believe.
And just ... all the characters were great! I can't wait to read more! Can't wait to go back to this fabulous fantasy world! ^_^
Speaking of the world, it was incredibly done! Completely fascinating. There are pirates working for a bad king. Twin kingdoms growing restless against each other. Fierce alligators roaming the swamp - inspiring an alligator god that some of the people ignorantly believe in. There are guardians and temple priests. Hurricanes. Angels. And a line of people with "Mardan's mark" on their skin.
Some of Mardan's Mark's world and scenarios (especially the Prologue) made me think of the Old Testament times from the Bible. Which is really interesting and neat, I think.
Srilani and her family trust in El (who represents God). They pray to Him, heal in His name, and witness about Him to Aldan and his brothers, who grew up aboard the pirate ship only knowing about Azor, the alligator god. A messenger comes from El to one of the characters (a awesome scene!), and also El gives visions to different people. All in all, I really like the allegory of Mardan's Mark, and hope to see more! ^_^
There was a bit of violence and death here and there. Nothing too bad that I can remember. It's definitely a few notches down from what I've been reading lately! So yeah. Pretty safe.
The romance(s) was sooo sweet!! So many cute moments. Tender moments. Eep! <3 It was all so lovely. And it progressed slow enough that it didn't feel like instant love like a lot of the YA books these days. I felt it came about quite nicely! It was all sweet and clean, except, near the end there were two slightly heated romantic moments involving a kiss or two. It's probably considered suitable for the sixteen-and-up range audience. I might suggest eighteen and up ... Well, because Srilani is like seventeen or eighteen, so naturally her situation is probably more suited for readers her age. *smiles* But, I guess it depends what you usually read. Rene is sixteen, I believe (and quite mature), and she has a bit of a romance going on too.
Anyway, so cute!! I'm so excited to read more! I want these two adorable couples to have happy endings! *fangirl grin*
So what else to say? Mardan's Mark is awesome! I'm going to start the companion novella tonight, and am dying to read Book 2 already!! Haha. Definitely going on my favorites shelf, and I highly recommend! To all fantasy lovers: you must pick up this book! It's thrilling. Mysterious. Adventurous. Sweet. Romantic. Breath-taking. Simply grand. Even if you don't like fantasy, still you should give it a try! It's non-magical, has likenesses to Old Testament days, and just all-around superb writing and characters. As a avid fan of Christian fantasy, I've found a jewel.
I received a copy of Mardan's Mark from the author in exchange for my honest review.
The story centers around a princess named Srilani, the eldest daughter of King Terson and Lady Kaelan. She is a leader by nature, bold and determined to be heard. But her father continually brushes her opinions and ideas aside; favoring, instead, his son, Jamson, heir to the throne.
Aldan is a slave aboard a pirate ship. He, along with his "brothers", Samazor and Linus, have been slaves for almost as long as they can remember - subject to the whims of Captain Rozar.
But everything they know is about to change as trouble brews between the Twin Kingdoms and Norland. Secrets await realization. Wicked men scheme abductions. And in the midst, a princess and a pirate must learn to work together to keep their families safe.
From almost the very first line, I was enthralled. Mardan's Mark is a very well-written, intriguing, and altogether beautiful fantasy! It didn't leave me bored for a moment; but rather had me excitedly lost in its pages or waiting to return to them! *smiles* Truly, it was fresh and superb. I believe this book is Kathrese McKee's debut novel, and I am quite impressed! Very well done!
The characters were wonderful. I enjoyed being with each POV character ... (which is not always common for me); they were just fantastic! None of them bored me.
Srilani was a little arrogant and spoiled perhaps, for a good bit. I must say, I was a little disgusted, soon after meeting her, when she was disrespectful toward her father and at the same time expected him to treat her and her opinions with utmost respect! Her father may have been in the wrong for treating her so carelessly, but she still should have honored him. So yes. Srilani has a bit of an attitude toward men. But she does learn, and grow through the course of the book; and I quickly came to like her! She has her faults, but she has strengths too ... and learns to admit she's wrong and so on. It was nice to have a so-called "kick-butt" heroine who learns that is not what being a strong woman is all about. Anyway. Can't wait to reunite with Srilani in the next book and see how things go for her!
I liked Aldan very much! He was a calm, strong, guiding force. And his brothers, Sam and Linus, were great too, in different ways! Sam, though annoying at times, made me laugh, and sigh when his tender side showed through. Linus was just mysterious ... and bit shy and quiet, but still deadly. And in another way, sweet. And I simply loved their brotherly relationship! It was so neat, and interesting; and they're all such distinct characters that I very much enjoyed hanging out around the three of them! ^_^
Srilani's sisters, Rene and Maelan, and brother Jamson, were also lovely characters. We perhaps didn't get to know the twins quite as well; but Rene had POV a few times, I believe.
And just ... all the characters were great! I can't wait to read more! Can't wait to go back to this fabulous fantasy world! ^_^
Speaking of the world, it was incredibly done! Completely fascinating. There are pirates working for a bad king. Twin kingdoms growing restless against each other. Fierce alligators roaming the swamp - inspiring an alligator god that some of the people ignorantly believe in. There are guardians and temple priests. Hurricanes. Angels. And a line of people with "Mardan's mark" on their skin.
Some of Mardan's Mark's world and scenarios (especially the Prologue) made me think of the Old Testament times from the Bible. Which is really interesting and neat, I think.
Srilani and her family trust in El (who represents God). They pray to Him, heal in His name, and witness about Him to Aldan and his brothers, who grew up aboard the pirate ship only knowing about Azor, the alligator god. A messenger comes from El to one of the characters (a awesome scene!), and also El gives visions to different people. All in all, I really like the allegory of Mardan's Mark, and hope to see more! ^_^
There was a bit of violence and death here and there. Nothing too bad that I can remember. It's definitely a few notches down from what I've been reading lately! So yeah. Pretty safe.
The romance(s) was sooo sweet!! So many cute moments. Tender moments. Eep! <3 It was all so lovely. And it progressed slow enough that it didn't feel like instant love like a lot of the YA books these days. I felt it came about quite nicely! It was all sweet and clean, except, near the end there were two slightly heated romantic moments involving a kiss or two. It's probably considered suitable for the sixteen-and-up range audience. I might suggest eighteen and up ... Well, because Srilani is like seventeen or eighteen, so naturally her situation is probably more suited for readers her age. *smiles* But, I guess it depends what you usually read. Rene is sixteen, I believe (and quite mature), and she has a bit of a romance going on too.
Anyway, so cute!! I'm so excited to read more! I want these two adorable couples to have happy endings! *fangirl grin*
So what else to say? Mardan's Mark is awesome! I'm going to start the companion novella tonight, and am dying to read Book 2 already!! Haha. Definitely going on my favorites shelf, and I highly recommend! To all fantasy lovers: you must pick up this book! It's thrilling. Mysterious. Adventurous. Sweet. Romantic. Breath-taking. Simply grand. Even if you don't like fantasy, still you should give it a try! It's non-magical, has likenesses to Old Testament days, and just all-around superb writing and characters. As a avid fan of Christian fantasy, I've found a jewel.
I received a copy of Mardan's Mark from the author in exchange for my honest review.
July 24, 2015
Read this book! Seriously! I heard lots of good things about it and was expecting a good book, and it still blew me away.
The characters are excellent. Srilani is a tough girl who can fight her way out of trouble but also has a vulnerable heart. Too many books and movies don't get that balance. Either the girl is an almost heartless, kick everybody's butt kind of girl or she needs saving all the time. Sometimes in Christian fiction, the tough girl is the one who needs to be softened until by the end of the book she's totally given up her tough girl attitude. Srilani is none of those things. She both saves the guy and needs to be saved. She finds a way to be vulnerable but without losing her fighting edge.
Not only was Srilani awesome, but her male lead was also amazing! Aldan can hold his own with her and doesn't fall into the helpless male sidekick stereotype.
Best of all, several of the other characters also got their own points of view in the book. The character voices were all distinct, so I was never confused.
I also adored the setting. Too many fantasy books fall into the trap of basing their setting only on Europe. It's fantasy. It can be set anywhere. The setting in Mardan's Mark is based off the Gulf Coast area of the United States, which gives it a flavor not found in many other fantasy novels.
Finally, the cultures of the different kingdoms are well-done. I could see parts of all kinds of cultures, but I never felt they were directly based off any one culture in the real world. The Christian aspect of the culture is well-done, and feels like an Old Testament kind of faith, which is neat.
The characters are excellent. Srilani is a tough girl who can fight her way out of trouble but also has a vulnerable heart. Too many books and movies don't get that balance. Either the girl is an almost heartless, kick everybody's butt kind of girl or she needs saving all the time. Sometimes in Christian fiction, the tough girl is the one who needs to be softened until by the end of the book she's totally given up her tough girl attitude. Srilani is none of those things. She both saves the guy and needs to be saved. She finds a way to be vulnerable but without losing her fighting edge.
Not only was Srilani awesome, but her male lead was also amazing! Aldan can hold his own with her and doesn't fall into the helpless male sidekick stereotype.
Best of all, several of the other characters also got their own points of view in the book. The character voices were all distinct, so I was never confused.
I also adored the setting. Too many fantasy books fall into the trap of basing their setting only on Europe. It's fantasy. It can be set anywhere. The setting in Mardan's Mark is based off the Gulf Coast area of the United States, which gives it a flavor not found in many other fantasy novels.
Finally, the cultures of the different kingdoms are well-done. I could see parts of all kinds of cultures, but I never felt they were directly based off any one culture in the real world. The Christian aspect of the culture is well-done, and feels like an Old Testament kind of faith, which is neat.
February 2, 2016
This book wasn't too bad, I just don't think I was in the mood for it. BEWARE CLIFFHANGER, PEOPLES.
The Good
-Character names. Srilani is such an awesome name. Also Linus, Maelon, Jamson, Drajna... So wonderful.
-Linus. HE WAS MY FAVE, OKAY? He's a minor character, and I liked him way better than anybody else, even Srilani and Aldan. Seriously, he's so cool. He has awesome night vision, he's just... I dunno, awesome. :P HE INTRIGUES ME.
-Biscuits. What can I say? He was hilarious.
-Plot. The plot was interesting and pretty original. Sometimes a little predictable, but not too much.
-Worldbuilding. This is in both sections, unfortunately. But I appreciate McKee's worldbuilding, you can tell she spent a lot of time on it, but...
The Bad
-Worldbuilding. I was SO LOST for most of the book. Honestly, it took me ages to figure everything out, and I honestly don't think I get it still. Are North and South Marstan enemies, or sort of, or not really???? TELL ME.
-Romance. I'm getting tired of unrealistic, fall-in-love-after-two-weeks romance. I knew all the ships as soon as I met the characters. It was very predictable.
The Ugly
Some violence, killing mean old pirates. A little bit of kissing.
The book was pretty good, it just didn't wow me. I think it's more of a me-thing, not anything wrong with the book. :)
The Good
-Character names. Srilani is such an awesome name. Also Linus, Maelon, Jamson, Drajna... So wonderful.
-Linus. HE WAS MY FAVE, OKAY? He's a minor character, and I liked him way better than anybody else, even Srilani and Aldan. Seriously, he's so cool. He has awesome night vision, he's just... I dunno, awesome. :P HE INTRIGUES ME.
-Biscuits. What can I say? He was hilarious.
-Plot. The plot was interesting and pretty original. Sometimes a little predictable, but not too much.
-Worldbuilding. This is in both sections, unfortunately. But I appreciate McKee's worldbuilding, you can tell she spent a lot of time on it, but...
The Bad
-Worldbuilding. I was SO LOST for most of the book. Honestly, it took me ages to figure everything out, and I honestly don't think I get it still. Are North and South Marstan enemies, or sort of, or not really???? TELL ME.
-Romance. I'm getting tired of unrealistic, fall-in-love-after-two-weeks romance. I knew all the ships as soon as I met the characters. It was very predictable.
The Ugly
Some violence, killing mean old pirates. A little bit of kissing.
The book was pretty good, it just didn't wow me. I think it's more of a me-thing, not anything wrong with the book. :)
September 25, 2018
I don't read a lot of fantasy-type books but agreed to read an early version of this book and found it captivating. Now that it is published, I intended to skim through it to refresh my memory before writing this review. Instead, I found myself caught up in the story all over again and reading it through to the end. It was even more enjoyable the second time around. It has a perfect mix of action, danger, adventure, romance, and mystery.
I won't recap the story as that can be found in the description. What I like best about the book is the character development. Each of the young people seemed very real, and the way their personalities came into conflict with or complemented each other was entirely believable. The interplay between the characters is interesting and sometimes humorous, and several twists add nice surprises to the plot line.
While the book is aimed at young people, it would be enjoyed by any age reader.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Without hesitation, I highly recommend this book. My only criticism is that it ended too soon, which means I have to wait for Book Two to continue the story.
I won't recap the story as that can be found in the description. What I like best about the book is the character development. Each of the young people seemed very real, and the way their personalities came into conflict with or complemented each other was entirely believable. The interplay between the characters is interesting and sometimes humorous, and several twists add nice surprises to the plot line.
While the book is aimed at young people, it would be enjoyed by any age reader.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Without hesitation, I highly recommend this book. My only criticism is that it ended too soon, which means I have to wait for Book Two to continue the story.
February 9, 2015
This story was amazing and beautiful and I loved it! Royal children kidnapped by pirates and they end up escaping by the help of three slaves aboard the ship? AWESOME! Let the adventure begin! It was beautifully written and so well done! Eeep! Loved it so much!
Read the full review here: https://adrianagabriellewrites.wordpr...
Read the full review here: https://adrianagabriellewrites.wordpr...
November 23, 2016
About this book:
“Death is not their deepest fear.
Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity.
She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out.
In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Mardan’s Mark” series.
Spiritual Content- Isaiah 49:25 at the beginning; Many Prayers to, praising & thanking El [God of all Creation]; Blessing & trying to heal someone; Messages from El via an angel (not one with wings or a halo); Many talks about El, believing in the Creator, His healing & His timing and will; Some ‘H’s are capital when referring to El; Aldan is skeptic about El, but tries praying to Him; Many mentions of El & peace; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of visions & promises from El; Mentions of blessings, holy days & worshiping; Mentions of those not being in El and/or any god; A mention of something being like a miracle; “May El bless you” is said many times; a “for the love of El” is said;
*Note: A scene with a king kneeling to a god & asking for something (the king gets in trouble for doing so); A witch; Many mentions of gods, idols, god’s priests and temple guardians, a temple, spirits, evil, sacrifices and incantations for a god, witchcraft/dark arts, a witch and her chanting (board-line semi-detailed); A few mentions of the gods helping someone; A couple mentions of “damning evidence” and “damning words”; A mention of someone being the son of the devil; A mention of a she-devil; A mention of a devilish maneuver; ‘Gods’ is said like a replacement for a minor curse at the beginning of a sentence twice.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a ‘drat you’, two ‘gah’s, two ‘idiot’s, three ‘dumb’s, four ‘shut up’s, nineteen forms of ‘stupid’; Sarcasm; Mentions of curses (said, not written (a fake one is written “Azor’s teeth!” four times)); Lots of fighting, hitting, battles, weapons, using weapons to injure/kill, blood, killing, bodies & the smell (very semi-detailed); Passing out, pain & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Water & almost drowning (up to semi-detailed); Drinking wine; Many mentions of fighting, weapons, blood, injuries/scars, pain & dying/deaths (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of slaves & slavery; Mentions of murders, deaths, bodies, blood & the smell (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of murders, assassinations, killing, betrayals, deaths & daggers; Mentions of fighting & wars; Mentions of pain, injuries & threats; Mentions of drowning & almost drowning; Mentions of killing one’s self before something bad happens; Mentions of torture & screams; Mentions of fevers, blood, a popped out shoulder, screams, stitches, injuries & wounds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of beatings; Mentions of drinking, a drunk, wine & spirits; Mentions of hunting, traps, animals & dressing them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of executions; A couple mentions of gangs & robbers; A couple mentions of debts; A couple mentions of jealousy.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kiss, dreaming of kissing & being kissed (semi-detailed), and a boarder-line semi-detailed // detailed kiss; Wanting to be kissed again; Noticing, Staring & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Flutters, Tingles & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Unwanted touches, nearness & smelling (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a man’s bare chest (up to semi-detailed); Talks about a kiss; Talks about touching & touches; Mentions of blushes; Mentions of heartbreak; Mentions of noticing; Mentions of lovers, reputations, virtue & purity; Mentions of a kiss; Mentions of men’s jeers, crude gestures, innuendos & insults at two young women (not written); Mentions of women being men’s property & owning them as slaves; Mentions of revulsion from a man’s comments & him wanting to kiss/taste Srilani (along with wanting to taming her himself, but he won’t because she has value as an untouched virgin); Mentions of a king’s concubines; A few mentions of virgins; A few mentions of married couples kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a man not taking advantage of a woman; A couple mentions of the idea of a woman giving herself to a man; A couple mentions of a fate worse than death for women; A mention of a man maybe getting a wife or two and fathering some [children]; A mention of tales of captivity in brothels (no details); A mention of a man planning to use a woman & letting others watch (no details, doesn’t happen); Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of women’s curves (& a couple mentions of a man drawing the outline in the air); A couple mentions of someone being a pain in the butt.
-Srilani, age 17
-Aldan, age 19
P.O.V. switches between mostly them but also Sam & Rene
Fantasy
396 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I like books with maps. And books with character lists. It’s really quite helpful. Random details about myself to the side, this novel was different. A good different. There’s not too many Christian Fiction books out there with pirates and royalty. I frankly like that there’s more, like Mardan’s Mark, coming on to the scene with different kinds of characters.
There’s many things I can appreciate about this novel. For one, the names were fun. (I have no clue how to pronounce them, but they at least look cool.) Another major one, it wasn’t as stressful as past Fantasy books I’ve read. Goodness sake y’all, I’ve worked up a sweat reading books where you don’t know who’s going to make it to the next book in the series. I had little-to-no-anxiety while reading this fantasy, which was another nice change. Things happened quick and baddies were taken care of nearly as fast. There also was no sibling bicker between any of the sibling, which was nice.
But, now, there were things I wasn’t quite sold on. One of them being the healing of a woman via calling on El and singing a song to Him, {El is supposed to be God} it just felt a little bit off to me, but I’m not quite sure why. Some parts didn’t seem very respectful to God, so I feel like that could have been better. There also was a lot of killing and fighting in this nearly-400-paged-novel, which effected the ratings, of course.
Different parts reminded me of Lisa T. Begren’s Remnants series, just with maybe a little more fighting and less romance. Personally, that can be good and not-so-good for me, so for those who really enjoyed that series, you might check out this one, just know it’s not a Dystopian.
I did enjoy Mardan’s Mark, though, it has an interesting plot and world its set in, no doubt about it, has a story to be told. I found it very well written, and even though there were many mentions of other characters, I didn’t get lost following who was who. An impressive feat while not using the character lists (which I wasn’t aware was at the back of the book until near the end), as I normally get lost with such plots. I look forward to reading the #1.5 next and seeing what happens to this interesting cast of characters.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
“Death is not their deepest fear.
Abducted by pirates and taken behind enemy lines across the Great Gulf, Princess Srilani is determined to save her sisters and younger brother, the crown prince, from captivity.
She convinces their caretaker, Aldan, and his brother slaves to share the perilous journey home. This ragtag group of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest — pursued by cutthroat pirates, merciless priests, and marauding soldiers — to return the heir to his kingdom before war breaks out.
In this epic adventure fantasy, Srilani and Aldan risk everything to save a prince and a nation, discovering along the way that death is not their deepest fear.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Mardan’s Mark” series.
Spiritual Content- Isaiah 49:25 at the beginning; Many Prayers to, praising & thanking El [God of all Creation]; Blessing & trying to heal someone; Messages from El via an angel (not one with wings or a halo); Many talks about El, believing in the Creator, His healing & His timing and will; Some ‘H’s are capital when referring to El; Aldan is skeptic about El, but tries praying to Him; Many mentions of El & peace; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of visions & promises from El; Mentions of blessings, holy days & worshiping; Mentions of those not being in El and/or any god; A mention of something being like a miracle; “May El bless you” is said many times; a “for the love of El” is said;
*Note: A scene with a king kneeling to a god & asking for something (the king gets in trouble for doing so); A witch; Many mentions of gods, idols, god’s priests and temple guardians, a temple, spirits, evil, sacrifices and incantations for a god, witchcraft/dark arts, a witch and her chanting (board-line semi-detailed); A few mentions of the gods helping someone; A couple mentions of “damning evidence” and “damning words”; A mention of someone being the son of the devil; A mention of a she-devil; A mention of a devilish maneuver; ‘Gods’ is said like a replacement for a minor curse at the beginning of a sentence twice.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a ‘drat you’, two ‘gah’s, two ‘idiot’s, three ‘dumb’s, four ‘shut up’s, nineteen forms of ‘stupid’; Sarcasm; Mentions of curses (said, not written (a fake one is written “Azor’s teeth!” four times)); Lots of fighting, hitting, battles, weapons, using weapons to injure/kill, blood, killing, bodies & the smell (very semi-detailed); Passing out, pain & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Water & almost drowning (up to semi-detailed); Drinking wine; Many mentions of fighting, weapons, blood, injuries/scars, pain & dying/deaths (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of slaves & slavery; Mentions of murders, deaths, bodies, blood & the smell (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of murders, assassinations, killing, betrayals, deaths & daggers; Mentions of fighting & wars; Mentions of pain, injuries & threats; Mentions of drowning & almost drowning; Mentions of killing one’s self before something bad happens; Mentions of torture & screams; Mentions of fevers, blood, a popped out shoulder, screams, stitches, injuries & wounds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of beatings; Mentions of drinking, a drunk, wine & spirits; Mentions of hunting, traps, animals & dressing them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of executions; A couple mentions of gangs & robbers; A couple mentions of debts; A couple mentions of jealousy.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kiss, dreaming of kissing & being kissed (semi-detailed), and a boarder-line semi-detailed // detailed kiss; Wanting to be kissed again; Noticing, Staring & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Flutters, Tingles & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Unwanted touches, nearness & smelling (up to semi-detailed); Seeing a man’s bare chest (up to semi-detailed); Talks about a kiss; Talks about touching & touches; Mentions of blushes; Mentions of heartbreak; Mentions of noticing; Mentions of lovers, reputations, virtue & purity; Mentions of a kiss; Mentions of men’s jeers, crude gestures, innuendos & insults at two young women (not written); Mentions of women being men’s property & owning them as slaves; Mentions of revulsion from a man’s comments & him wanting to kiss/taste Srilani (along with wanting to taming her himself, but he won’t because she has value as an untouched virgin); Mentions of a king’s concubines; A few mentions of virgins; A few mentions of married couples kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a man not taking advantage of a woman; A couple mentions of the idea of a woman giving herself to a man; A couple mentions of a fate worse than death for women; A mention of a man maybe getting a wife or two and fathering some [children]; A mention of tales of captivity in brothels (no details); A mention of a man planning to use a woman & letting others watch (no details, doesn’t happen); Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of women’s curves (& a couple mentions of a man drawing the outline in the air); A couple mentions of someone being a pain in the butt.
-Srilani, age 17
-Aldan, age 19
P.O.V. switches between mostly them but also Sam & Rene
Fantasy
396 pages
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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I like books with maps. And books with character lists. It’s really quite helpful. Random details about myself to the side, this novel was different. A good different. There’s not too many Christian Fiction books out there with pirates and royalty. I frankly like that there’s more, like Mardan’s Mark, coming on to the scene with different kinds of characters.
There’s many things I can appreciate about this novel. For one, the names were fun. (I have no clue how to pronounce them, but they at least look cool.) Another major one, it wasn’t as stressful as past Fantasy books I’ve read. Goodness sake y’all, I’ve worked up a sweat reading books where you don’t know who’s going to make it to the next book in the series. I had little-to-no-anxiety while reading this fantasy, which was another nice change. Things happened quick and baddies were taken care of nearly as fast. There also was no sibling bicker between any of the sibling, which was nice.
But, now, there were things I wasn’t quite sold on. One of them being the healing of a woman via calling on El and singing a song to Him, {El is supposed to be God} it just felt a little bit off to me, but I’m not quite sure why. Some parts didn’t seem very respectful to God, so I feel like that could have been better. There also was a lot of killing and fighting in this nearly-400-paged-novel, which effected the ratings, of course.
Different parts reminded me of Lisa T. Begren’s Remnants series, just with maybe a little more fighting and less romance. Personally, that can be good and not-so-good for me, so for those who really enjoyed that series, you might check out this one, just know it’s not a Dystopian.
I did enjoy Mardan’s Mark, though, it has an interesting plot and world its set in, no doubt about it, has a story to be told. I found it very well written, and even though there were many mentions of other characters, I didn’t get lost following who was who. An impressive feat while not using the character lists (which I wasn’t aware was at the back of the book until near the end), as I normally get lost with such plots. I look forward to reading the #1.5 next and seeing what happens to this interesting cast of characters.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
June 11, 2019
(Posted with reviews for the rest of the series here!)
An exciting tale of pirates and princesses, friendship and siblings and romance, survival and adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book. :)
I feel like there’s a lack of sibling stories out there, and it was neat that our heroine, Princess Srilani, ends up on this adventure with two sisters and a brother. I also particularly loved the friendships—really good, believable ones which start out rocky sometimes. There are so many relationships in this, which I loved seeing develop over the course of the story of these young people on a journey of survival together, from a pirate ship through the wilderness. Just—FRIENDSHIPS.
Aldan is my favorite character—he’s the absolute best—and I loved him and his “brothers,” Sam and Linus. I also really liked how Srilani and Aldan both take charge in their ways and are such strong main characters, but also have to learn to work together and lean on each other’s strengths. And the tension between Srilani and Sam was so well done, too! I just love aaaall the relationships in this—siblings, friendships, buddy-stories, and of course an adorable romance in there somewhere. My favorite thing is definitely the characters and dynamics—and how there’s a bit of humor slipped in there sometimes!
I also loved the journey and survival and just what a solidly good adventure it was. There’s always some bit of tension or excitement or danger, drawing the reader breathlessly along through the story. Whether it’s pirates or the villainous “temple guardians” in pursuit, or simply the question of what the characters will eat next, it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
A Christian Fantasy story, the world feels nearly like Kingdom Adventure, without any usual fantasy elements (though there is miraculous healing, a vision of an angel-type being, and a couple things like that). So if non-magical fantasy or adventure stories with a dash of Christian allegory are your thing, you need to check this one out. The world had such a unique feel to it, too; a little more tropical than usual fantasy stories, with pirate ships and rivers, swamps and alligators, prairies and forests and dusty towns and castles! With just a dash of politics and an almost-18th century feel, at least to me. It was neat and felt fresh.
It’s a bit long, which is the main reason I put off starting it for longer than I’d care to admit, but I was totally pulled in once I did start. The continued over-stressing of being “proper” for a princess, not being allowed to be around guys (but I mean, it’s a survival story, so hello?), and all of that, got a little tiresome, just because it was such a big deal in the story. And I had one or two other quibbles (like a bit of grittiness and my problem with healer-stories and being squeamish. XD), but these were very minor.
On the whole, I had a blast reading this! I finished it in just a few days and as soon as I read the end, I started book 2! I’m definitely hooked on this series!
An exciting tale of pirates and princesses, friendship and siblings and romance, survival and adventure! I thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book. :)
I feel like there’s a lack of sibling stories out there, and it was neat that our heroine, Princess Srilani, ends up on this adventure with two sisters and a brother. I also particularly loved the friendships—really good, believable ones which start out rocky sometimes. There are so many relationships in this, which I loved seeing develop over the course of the story of these young people on a journey of survival together, from a pirate ship through the wilderness. Just—FRIENDSHIPS.
Aldan is my favorite character—he’s the absolute best—and I loved him and his “brothers,” Sam and Linus. I also really liked how Srilani and Aldan both take charge in their ways and are such strong main characters, but also have to learn to work together and lean on each other’s strengths. And the tension between Srilani and Sam was so well done, too! I just love aaaall the relationships in this—siblings, friendships, buddy-stories, and of course an adorable romance in there somewhere. My favorite thing is definitely the characters and dynamics—and how there’s a bit of humor slipped in there sometimes!
I also loved the journey and survival and just what a solidly good adventure it was. There’s always some bit of tension or excitement or danger, drawing the reader breathlessly along through the story. Whether it’s pirates or the villainous “temple guardians” in pursuit, or simply the question of what the characters will eat next, it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
A Christian Fantasy story, the world feels nearly like Kingdom Adventure, without any usual fantasy elements (though there is miraculous healing, a vision of an angel-type being, and a couple things like that). So if non-magical fantasy or adventure stories with a dash of Christian allegory are your thing, you need to check this one out. The world had such a unique feel to it, too; a little more tropical than usual fantasy stories, with pirate ships and rivers, swamps and alligators, prairies and forests and dusty towns and castles! With just a dash of politics and an almost-18th century feel, at least to me. It was neat and felt fresh.
It’s a bit long, which is the main reason I put off starting it for longer than I’d care to admit, but I was totally pulled in once I did start. The continued over-stressing of being “proper” for a princess, not being allowed to be around guys (but I mean, it’s a survival story, so hello?), and all of that, got a little tiresome, just because it was such a big deal in the story. And I had one or two other quibbles (like a bit of grittiness and my problem with healer-stories and being squeamish. XD), but these were very minor.
On the whole, I had a blast reading this! I finished it in just a few days and as soon as I read the end, I started book 2! I’m definitely hooked on this series!
December 29, 2014
Mardan’s Mark Review:
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review, so here it is:
It has been a while since I have been so captivated by a book! I spent the better part of two days neglecting my Christmas crafts, laundry, and other adult-type things because I was reading this book.The characters and their individual stories, including the supporting characters, kept me glued to my Kindle for several straight hours. I loved the way the relationships and the characters (including supporting characters) developed, slowly, but steadily throughout the story. The book explored moral lessons such as respect, chastity, loyalty, and trust without once sounding preachy or letting those examples get in the way of the story.
What I loved about this story is the way Kathrese involved more than just two characters in telling the story. The supporting characters had their own important contributions to the story beyond their insights on the main two characters.. I found myself genuinely interested in the other characters and their back stories, as they added another dimension to the story. An example is the development of Jamson, Srilani's brother, from bored teenager who does not take particular interest in kingdom affairs, to someone who shows a strong sense of rightness and the beginnings of a great leader. I enjoyed watching the camaraderie, between Aldan and his brothers, and Srilani and her family, form into one group throughout the story.
Srilani is a character I think a lot of girls will identify with on one level or another. She is an excellent example of a strong female role-model, even as we see her humanness. Though she is independent, she struggles with seeing her own self-worth. She takes control, not because she wants to prove herself better than others, but because she sees it as her duty. I found the dynamic between her and Aldan fascinating to watch, as their relationship developed slowly through mutual respect and cooperation. I noticed subtle lessons of quality leadership and co-leadership illustrated through their interactions with each other and the group. The scripture, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another". (Proverbs 27:17) came to mind several times.
There were a few confusing parts in the beginning, at least with the copy I read, such as the Twin Kingdoms and their relationship with each other. There were a couple of times when I had to figure out who certain minor characters were because they were referred to by their names without any previous introduction (for instance Queen Kaelan, and later on when Aldan’s horse is named Flame), but none of those cases were enough to detract from the story, and they became clear before too long. I think readers would benefit from a map of the countries as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I eagerly await the continuation of the story! I cannot wait to find out what happens to Aldan, Srilani, and their companions!
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review, so here it is:
It has been a while since I have been so captivated by a book! I spent the better part of two days neglecting my Christmas crafts, laundry, and other adult-type things because I was reading this book.The characters and their individual stories, including the supporting characters, kept me glued to my Kindle for several straight hours. I loved the way the relationships and the characters (including supporting characters) developed, slowly, but steadily throughout the story. The book explored moral lessons such as respect, chastity, loyalty, and trust without once sounding preachy or letting those examples get in the way of the story.
What I loved about this story is the way Kathrese involved more than just two characters in telling the story. The supporting characters had their own important contributions to the story beyond their insights on the main two characters.. I found myself genuinely interested in the other characters and their back stories, as they added another dimension to the story. An example is the development of Jamson, Srilani's brother, from bored teenager who does not take particular interest in kingdom affairs, to someone who shows a strong sense of rightness and the beginnings of a great leader. I enjoyed watching the camaraderie, between Aldan and his brothers, and Srilani and her family, form into one group throughout the story.
Srilani is a character I think a lot of girls will identify with on one level or another. She is an excellent example of a strong female role-model, even as we see her humanness. Though she is independent, she struggles with seeing her own self-worth. She takes control, not because she wants to prove herself better than others, but because she sees it as her duty. I found the dynamic between her and Aldan fascinating to watch, as their relationship developed slowly through mutual respect and cooperation. I noticed subtle lessons of quality leadership and co-leadership illustrated through their interactions with each other and the group. The scripture, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another". (Proverbs 27:17) came to mind several times.
There were a few confusing parts in the beginning, at least with the copy I read, such as the Twin Kingdoms and their relationship with each other. There were a couple of times when I had to figure out who certain minor characters were because they were referred to by their names without any previous introduction (for instance Queen Kaelan, and later on when Aldan’s horse is named Flame), but none of those cases were enough to detract from the story, and they became clear before too long. I think readers would benefit from a map of the countries as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I eagerly await the continuation of the story! I cannot wait to find out what happens to Aldan, Srilani, and their companions!
December 24, 2014
Debut author Kathrese McKee has delivered a genuinely original work of imaginative fiction in Mardan's Mark. The historical setting, a world with elements of our own world’s past, feels familiar, but McKee’s gifted touch creates enough distinction that readers get to view history objectively.
The plot of Mardan's Mark weaves together elements of mystery, political intrigue, supernatural insight, romance, and adventure, and transports readers to a place where greed and deception have created an imbalance so firmly established it will take an epic battle to right the wrongs.
Enter a band of warriors with as many weaknesses as strengths, made of two types of people who couldn’t be more different—the children of a royal family and young men who have lived the majority of their lives aboard a pirate ship. Thrown together by cruel captors acting on forces set in motion many years before, McKee’s heroes are my favorite kind—fully flawed with a great deal of heart. As quickly as Aldan frustrated me, he redeems himself by finding courage in a dark place. As bullheaded as Srilani could be, she also melted my heart with her loyalty.
The book stands out from similar works by virtue of McKee’s superbly developed characters. Even minor ones are wholly realized and developed to the point of living and breathing on the pages. Readers get to travel with Aldan and his two “brothers,” and Srilani and her three siblings as they realize the magnitude of their journey and purpose. Relational dynamics run the gamut.
Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of Mardan's Mark, though, is how deftly McKee treats the growth and maturation of Aldan and Srilani. Readers are treated to many pure moments of how heroes are made, broken, and made again. We get to take the baby steps along with her characters, giving valuable insight into our own potential for greatness and courage as we face difficulties in life.
The book will appeal to all ages, but most especially to middle grade and high school readers who love a great adventure story with plenty of detail to sink the teeth into. This is a clean read, full of weighty issues of the conscience to consider—the kind of issues that reinforce character. I’m looking forward book two in the series.
[I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
The plot of Mardan's Mark weaves together elements of mystery, political intrigue, supernatural insight, romance, and adventure, and transports readers to a place where greed and deception have created an imbalance so firmly established it will take an epic battle to right the wrongs.
Enter a band of warriors with as many weaknesses as strengths, made of two types of people who couldn’t be more different—the children of a royal family and young men who have lived the majority of their lives aboard a pirate ship. Thrown together by cruel captors acting on forces set in motion many years before, McKee’s heroes are my favorite kind—fully flawed with a great deal of heart. As quickly as Aldan frustrated me, he redeems himself by finding courage in a dark place. As bullheaded as Srilani could be, she also melted my heart with her loyalty.
The book stands out from similar works by virtue of McKee’s superbly developed characters. Even minor ones are wholly realized and developed to the point of living and breathing on the pages. Readers get to travel with Aldan and his two “brothers,” and Srilani and her three siblings as they realize the magnitude of their journey and purpose. Relational dynamics run the gamut.
Perhaps the most thrilling aspect of Mardan's Mark, though, is how deftly McKee treats the growth and maturation of Aldan and Srilani. Readers are treated to many pure moments of how heroes are made, broken, and made again. We get to take the baby steps along with her characters, giving valuable insight into our own potential for greatness and courage as we face difficulties in life.
The book will appeal to all ages, but most especially to middle grade and high school readers who love a great adventure story with plenty of detail to sink the teeth into. This is a clean read, full of weighty issues of the conscience to consider—the kind of issues that reinforce character. I’m looking forward book two in the series.
[I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
December 30, 2015
Hmm…I am quite torn about this book. On one hand, the adventure was fantastic. On the other hand, the spiritual aspect of this book caused great concern for me. If it weren’t for that, I would’ve really adored this book. It was terrifically written, the plot engaging, and the characters very like-able, my favourite being Sam. I know most people loved Aldan as the main male character, but for me, while Aldan was okay, I really liked Sam. I liked Rene’ too until a certain scene came about.
I really appreciate the lack of stress in this book – let me explain. Most adventure/fantasy novels put you through a great deal of stress with lots of scenes that just have you on the brink of a breakdown (haha!), and this book had just the right amount of ‘dangerous’ scenes that had you frightened, but not so much that you were stressed for a long time. I really was glad of that! I don’t like being stressed out when reading. :D
However, concerning the spiritual aspects… There was a scene where some of the characters were administering help to a dying person – I assumed they were going to pray over the person, which I agree with – God is our Healer – but they began chanting and that’s what healed the woman. It was a very strange, and discomfiting scene in my opinion. And that wasn’t all – the whole ‘feeling’ of their relationship with God – El as He was referred to in the book – was not Holy to me. It made me very wary.
The abundant references to Sol, or the Sun, was also very concerning to me. They even prayed towards the sun, which the Bible tells us not to do. Afterwards, the character doing this said to another “We worship El, the Creator of Sol” – but then you wouldn’t pray towards the Sun, or bow your face to it, which they did. Sol was mentioned much too much to just be a passing remark of the sun being a light in the day. It also made me very uncomfortable.
There wasn’t a great deal of respect shown to El either – they used sentences that I would normally think were a curse word – “For the love of —” was used frequently, and that isn’t respectful in my opinion.
So, you can see why I’m torn. Had it not had these spiritual aspects, I would’ve completely loved the book. And I did enjoy it, it just has great concerns for me as well.
I’m not sure I’ll read the next one, Healer’s Curse, because of the emphasis they put on Healers having “the gift”. Only God is the Healer, not people.
*I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
I really appreciate the lack of stress in this book – let me explain. Most adventure/fantasy novels put you through a great deal of stress with lots of scenes that just have you on the brink of a breakdown (haha!), and this book had just the right amount of ‘dangerous’ scenes that had you frightened, but not so much that you were stressed for a long time. I really was glad of that! I don’t like being stressed out when reading. :D
However, concerning the spiritual aspects… There was a scene where some of the characters were administering help to a dying person – I assumed they were going to pray over the person, which I agree with – God is our Healer – but they began chanting and that’s what healed the woman. It was a very strange, and discomfiting scene in my opinion. And that wasn’t all – the whole ‘feeling’ of their relationship with God – El as He was referred to in the book – was not Holy to me. It made me very wary.
The abundant references to Sol, or the Sun, was also very concerning to me. They even prayed towards the sun, which the Bible tells us not to do. Afterwards, the character doing this said to another “We worship El, the Creator of Sol” – but then you wouldn’t pray towards the Sun, or bow your face to it, which they did. Sol was mentioned much too much to just be a passing remark of the sun being a light in the day. It also made me very uncomfortable.
There wasn’t a great deal of respect shown to El either – they used sentences that I would normally think were a curse word – “For the love of —” was used frequently, and that isn’t respectful in my opinion.
So, you can see why I’m torn. Had it not had these spiritual aspects, I would’ve completely loved the book. And I did enjoy it, it just has great concerns for me as well.
I’m not sure I’ll read the next one, Healer’s Curse, because of the emphasis they put on Healers having “the gift”. Only God is the Healer, not people.
*I received a complimentary ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
September 11, 2023
This book is a real hidden gem in Christian fantasy! I first found out about this book by stumbling upon it at my library, so thank you to whoever asked my local library to buy it as I don’t think I would have found it otherwise!
This story has a little of everything from adventure to action to daring rescues and escapes to survival to pirates to romance and a band of unlikely people becoming a tight knit found family through it all. The thrown together mix of former pirate slaves and kidnapped royal children all fighting to survive while learning to trust each other is my favorite aspect of this story and it did not disappoint upon rereading.
Aside from visions and miraculous healing in the name of El (God’s name in this world) there’s no magic, so if you like non magical fantasy with a writing style similar to Jaye L. Knight’s Ilyon Chronicles or Tricia Mingerink’s The Blades of Acktar then I think you’ll like this book too.
I’m very interested to see how the series goes from here!
‼️Content‼️
Language: gah; gods; damning; hell
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); a man is murdered; injuries and blood (not detailed); a dead body is found with an axe in its chest (not detailed); a character crashes through a roof; a man falls off a building and breaks his neck (not detailed); a character falls in a river
Sexual: mild suggestive hints; girls are threatened to be sold as concubines; a man says he wishes he could “tame” a girl (nothing happens); kissing (not detailed); characters are accused of having an affair (this is not true); lots of mentions and talk about women/girls remaining pure
Drug/Alcohol: a pirate captain drinks and gets drunk; characters drink wine at a feast; a character is given alcohol for medical reasons and it makes them drunk
Other: the worship of and sacrifice to false gods; witches; characters are slaves; characters are kidnapped, tied up, and imprisoned; a hurricane; a shipwreck; a miracle healing in the name of El (God); visions; death; an angel
This story has a little of everything from adventure to action to daring rescues and escapes to survival to pirates to romance and a band of unlikely people becoming a tight knit found family through it all. The thrown together mix of former pirate slaves and kidnapped royal children all fighting to survive while learning to trust each other is my favorite aspect of this story and it did not disappoint upon rereading.
Aside from visions and miraculous healing in the name of El (God’s name in this world) there’s no magic, so if you like non magical fantasy with a writing style similar to Jaye L. Knight’s Ilyon Chronicles or Tricia Mingerink’s The Blades of Acktar then I think you’ll like this book too.
I’m very interested to see how the series goes from here!
‼️Content‼️
Language: gah; gods; damning; hell
Violence: fighting with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); a man is murdered; injuries and blood (not detailed); a dead body is found with an axe in its chest (not detailed); a character crashes through a roof; a man falls off a building and breaks his neck (not detailed); a character falls in a river
Sexual: mild suggestive hints; girls are threatened to be sold as concubines; a man says he wishes he could “tame” a girl (nothing happens); kissing (not detailed); characters are accused of having an affair (this is not true); lots of mentions and talk about women/girls remaining pure
Drug/Alcohol: a pirate captain drinks and gets drunk; characters drink wine at a feast; a character is given alcohol for medical reasons and it makes them drunk
Other: the worship of and sacrifice to false gods; witches; characters are slaves; characters are kidnapped, tied up, and imprisoned; a hurricane; a shipwreck; a miracle healing in the name of El (God); visions; death; an angel
June 3, 2015
I'm a big fan of fantasy type books. Needless to say I have read a lot of sub-par fantasy books, but this one was awesome. I was totally captivated from the very beginning. It has adventure, intrigue, complex relationships, a little romance, and has nothing inappropriate in it. I read it in 2 days and could not put it down. I look forward to the next book coming out. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a unique plot with lots of twists and turns!
April 11, 2019
I enjoyed this fantasy adventure romance enough to buy the next book.
November 6, 2022
2.5 stars
I hate when I book that has been so hyped up by other bookstagrammers turns out to be so disappointing. The writing was meh. No grammar mistakes that I saw but it never really drew me in. The suspense always left me feeling disappointed. Like, something crazy would happen but then they always somehow skirted the problem. Very unrealistic.
Also, I couldn’t understand the main heroine, Srilani. She was always fighting with people and the author always portrayed her as the victim of the arguments. Like, she started it! She was so shallow. She was good at everything (obviously) except sowing (Also obviously) except when it came to stitches, then her sowing was perfect.
Some medical issues in the book that I found confusing: someone blacks out from having the pain of his arm reset (I’m not a doctor lol but that’s never happened in the other books I’ve read), and a man receives some bad news and instantly the healer in the group claims he is going into shock and could die! I understand that shock can kill bunnies and very elderly people but this person was neither :)
I liked Aldin, but it was never explained how he doesn’t have any memories of his life before the pirates. (Spoiler alert) He also didn’t know how to read! If he’s the prince, it stands to reason that he should’ve been taught how and still remembered even if he lost his memory. Maybe it explains all this in the second book but I won’t be reading it.
Edit:
I just remembered something really weird. In the middle of a crisis, an angel appears to Aldin and helps rescue him!!! What!?!? And somehow Rene heals someone? *visibly confused*
I hate when I book that has been so hyped up by other bookstagrammers turns out to be so disappointing. The writing was meh. No grammar mistakes that I saw but it never really drew me in. The suspense always left me feeling disappointed. Like, something crazy would happen but then they always somehow skirted the problem. Very unrealistic.
Also, I couldn’t understand the main heroine, Srilani. She was always fighting with people and the author always portrayed her as the victim of the arguments. Like, she started it! She was so shallow. She was good at everything (obviously) except sowing (Also obviously) except when it came to stitches, then her sowing was perfect.
Some medical issues in the book that I found confusing: someone blacks out from having the pain of his arm reset (I’m not a doctor lol but that’s never happened in the other books I’ve read), and a man receives some bad news and instantly the healer in the group claims he is going into shock and could die! I understand that shock can kill bunnies and very elderly people but this person was neither :)
I liked Aldin, but it was never explained how he doesn’t have any memories of his life before the pirates. (Spoiler alert) He also didn’t know how to read! If he’s the prince, it stands to reason that he should’ve been taught how and still remembered even if he lost his memory. Maybe it explains all this in the second book but I won’t be reading it.
Edit:
I just remembered something really weird. In the middle of a crisis, an angel appears to Aldin and helps rescue him!!! What!?!? And somehow Rene heals someone? *visibly confused*
January 14, 2015
I love this book.
I was gifted with the opportunity to provide feedback pre-release, and I just finished reading the final version. (So - disclaimer - I received a copy of this book for free from the author for the purpose of a review but this is my honest opinion). It's such a wonderful story. There are pirates and princesses but this isn't your typical pirate and princess story. It's so much more than that. There's kidnap, escape, adventure, danger, intrigue, politics, and stumbling on a secret that will rock the world.
This book would be a great introduction into fantasy for non-fantasy readers. The world building lacks the fantastical creatures and magical trappings that one would expect from an epic fantasy. But there are kings, kingdoms, cultures, and a huge cast of characters for fantasy lovers to enjoy.
More important than anything, this is a wonderful story with characters that will become your friends. Both times when I read this book, I was sad to put it down because I felt like I was leaving my family behind. I can't wait to read the next installment to catch up with all my friends.
I was gifted with the opportunity to provide feedback pre-release, and I just finished reading the final version. (So - disclaimer - I received a copy of this book for free from the author for the purpose of a review but this is my honest opinion). It's such a wonderful story. There are pirates and princesses but this isn't your typical pirate and princess story. It's so much more than that. There's kidnap, escape, adventure, danger, intrigue, politics, and stumbling on a secret that will rock the world.
This book would be a great introduction into fantasy for non-fantasy readers. The world building lacks the fantastical creatures and magical trappings that one would expect from an epic fantasy. But there are kings, kingdoms, cultures, and a huge cast of characters for fantasy lovers to enjoy.
More important than anything, this is a wonderful story with characters that will become your friends. Both times when I read this book, I was sad to put it down because I felt like I was leaving my family behind. I can't wait to read the next installment to catch up with all my friends.
March 19, 2015
Loved it!
Even though this book was a wonderful 400+ pages, I read it in one day-i just couldn't put it down. The person on the cover didn't appeal to me so I wasn't too interested but the reviews tempted me so I started reading-and didn't stop till I was done! I never even turned the tv on. This book was so good it put you right there, in the middle of the story as it happens. Even now I can shut my eyes and I'm there again with my characters.
Also, even though this book is number 1 in a series it didn't leave me hanging or feeling like I had to read the next book because the author was forcing me too. No, the reason I want to read the next book is because I already miss the story and its characters. This book is so good it makes you past of the story.
Just read this book. It never drags, the characters swill become like family and you will be very glad you read it. This book leaves one feeling good and happy and looking for every book this author writes! :D
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! :D
Even though this book was a wonderful 400+ pages, I read it in one day-i just couldn't put it down. The person on the cover didn't appeal to me so I wasn't too interested but the reviews tempted me so I started reading-and didn't stop till I was done! I never even turned the tv on. This book was so good it put you right there, in the middle of the story as it happens. Even now I can shut my eyes and I'm there again with my characters.
Also, even though this book is number 1 in a series it didn't leave me hanging or feeling like I had to read the next book because the author was forcing me too. No, the reason I want to read the next book is because I already miss the story and its characters. This book is so good it makes you past of the story.
Just read this book. It never drags, the characters swill become like family and you will be very glad you read it. This book leaves one feeling good and happy and looking for every book this author writes! :D
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! :D
October 21, 2015
Kathrese McKee wrote a doozy of a YA epic adventure, full of action, danger, and daring.
Srilani, oldest daughter of the king and trained in all kingly ways, and her sisters and brother, heir to the throne, are captured by the enemy who carry them away by sea. Aboard the ship, they meet Aldan, a slave since youth, and his "brothers," also slaves on board. A hurricane shipwrecks the boat when they are far from home.
When the heroes reach land, they find themselves on enemy shore. Secrets are revealed and lives changed on the perilous journey home.
Kathrese juggled several characters and did an excellent job of it. Each one has a unique personality and--unless they're the bad guys--are highly sympathetic. This was a terrific read, and certainly shouldn't be limited to young adult readers.
Srilani, oldest daughter of the king and trained in all kingly ways, and her sisters and brother, heir to the throne, are captured by the enemy who carry them away by sea. Aboard the ship, they meet Aldan, a slave since youth, and his "brothers," also slaves on board. A hurricane shipwrecks the boat when they are far from home.
When the heroes reach land, they find themselves on enemy shore. Secrets are revealed and lives changed on the perilous journey home.
Kathrese juggled several characters and did an excellent job of it. Each one has a unique personality and--unless they're the bad guys--are highly sympathetic. This was a terrific read, and certainly shouldn't be limited to young adult readers.
July 5, 2016
Mardan's Mark is a fast paced fantasy with twists and turns. It is a heart-pounding novel that leaves you wanting more. The characters are many, but unique in personality from one another. They become more like friends or family by the end of the book. This book is packed with adventure! It is clean with no graphic violence, sexual content, or profanity. It is a must read for anyone who likes action, adventure, appropriate romance, or fantasy. I can't wait to read more from Kathrese McKee!
June 7, 2017
It held my attention, but I probably won't read the others in the series.
The cover claims that it's a fantasy, but nothing fantastical happens*. There's no magic. none at all. Sure, there's a character who is called a witch. She doesn't do anything. Being set in another world does not make it fantasy (not at least by my standards). They escape from pirates at the beginning, and run away from evil priests at the end. Besides that, their trials include a broken roof, a swamp (oooh snakes and alligaters), rain, and their relationships with each other, which really get melodramatic at times. This book is a romance for nice christian girls thinly disguised as fantasy.
*unless you count a miraculous healing and an appearence by an angel, things which (I believe) could happen in real life.
I won this book in a drawing. I was happy because, of the prizes, this was the only one which (as far as I knew) was my genre. Turns out it wasn't. Other people may really like this, but clearly I am not among the intended audience. I just wish the book didn't claim to be an "epic fantasy adventure". I love a good fantasy adventure, but this isn't it.
The cover claims that it's a fantasy, but nothing fantastical happens*. There's no magic. none at all. Sure, there's a character who is called a witch. She doesn't do anything. Being set in another world does not make it fantasy (not at least by my standards). They escape from pirates at the beginning, and run away from evil priests at the end. Besides that, their trials include a broken roof, a swamp (oooh snakes and alligaters), rain, and their relationships with each other, which really get melodramatic at times. This book is a romance for nice christian girls thinly disguised as fantasy.
*unless you count a miraculous healing and an appearence by an angel, things which (I believe) could happen in real life.
I won this book in a drawing. I was happy because, of the prizes, this was the only one which (as far as I knew) was my genre. Turns out it wasn't. Other people may really like this, but clearly I am not among the intended audience. I just wish the book didn't claim to be an "epic fantasy adventure". I love a good fantasy adventure, but this isn't it.
November 6, 2018
Marden's Mark was a highly entertaining tale full of adventure. The royal children were kidnapped by pirates and befriend their slaves in a shipwreck. Their new friends attempt to help them home.
I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail. Let's just say the characters, story line, and action didn't disappoint. What I did find disappointing was the "to be continued" at the end. But at the time I'm writing this review, the next installment, Marden's Heir, is available and the final installment will be available soon. So, if you're able to wait and you enjoy a good, clean tale with action that will have you turning the pages, read Marden's Mark.
I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail. Let's just say the characters, story line, and action didn't disappoint. What I did find disappointing was the "to be continued" at the end. But at the time I'm writing this review, the next installment, Marden's Heir, is available and the final installment will be available soon. So, if you're able to wait and you enjoy a good, clean tale with action that will have you turning the pages, read Marden's Mark.
June 12, 2019
Marden's Mark was a highly entertaining tale full of adventure. The royal children were kidnapped by pirates and befriend their slaves in a shipwreck. Their new friends attempt to help them home.
I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail. Let's just say the characters, story line, and action didn't disappoint. What I did find disappointing was the "to be continued" at the end. But at the time I'm writing this review, the next installment, Marden's Heir, is available and the final installment will be available soon. So, if you're able to wait and you enjoy a good, clean tale with action that will have you turning the pages, read Marden's Mark.
I won't spoil anything by going into too much detail. Let's just say the characters, story line, and action didn't disappoint. What I did find disappointing was the "to be continued" at the end. But at the time I'm writing this review, the next installment, Marden's Heir, is available and the final installment will be available soon. So, if you're able to wait and you enjoy a good, clean tale with action that will have you turning the pages, read Marden's Mark.
January 9, 2018
Very intriguing story! I can't wait to read book #2. Good plot, clean romance, and great characters.
April 7, 2016
The writing in this book is very good, very smooth. Some really great description! I could really picture everything in the story world and every character. And I very much liked the characters, particularly Alden. He's loyal and brave, yet down-t0-earth and not by any means perfect. He and his best friends are slaves on a pirate ship, and the author does a good job of making it all feel pirate-y while keeping things very clean. Srilani and her siblings are interesting, too, and their royal upbringing has surprisingly taught them a lot about living in very un-royal situations, but it works for the story. Think Katniss raised to be a princess, and you've got Srilani.(That comparison is just for frame of reference--there is nothing derivative about this story.)
Now, the issues I had were that I found the conflict a bit hard to focus on, as the princesses seemed a bit too focused on not making the appearance that anything improper was going on between them and the boys after escaping the pirate ship. They're on enemy land, and definitely make a show of hiding while passing through, but I actually got a little confused over who was really after them and why because it seemed to shift to the background most of the time. Also, this is one of those books that's more like an introduction than a full story in itself. The characters are captured, escape, and journey through enemy land. You get to know them, and they develop various friendships/relationships, but it's meant really to get you to the next part of the story rather than feeling like story number one in a series of individual stories. I know a LOT of series are like that, and because I did enjoy the writing very much I will very likely read the next installment, but I must admit it's kind of a pet peeve of mine.
All that said, with Christian fantasy really lacking good, well-written books these days, books that don't read like Sunday school lessons, particularly in the YA category, I would definitely recommend this. Again, the writing IS quite good--intelligent and smooth, with a story world that I hope to get to know and understand more in the next book.
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My YA fantasy series:
book 1
book 2
Now, the issues I had were that I found the conflict a bit hard to focus on, as the princesses seemed a bit too focused on not making the appearance that anything improper was going on between them and the boys after escaping the pirate ship. They're on enemy land, and definitely make a show of hiding while passing through, but I actually got a little confused over who was really after them and why because it seemed to shift to the background most of the time. Also, this is one of those books that's more like an introduction than a full story in itself. The characters are captured, escape, and journey through enemy land. You get to know them, and they develop various friendships/relationships, but it's meant really to get you to the next part of the story rather than feeling like story number one in a series of individual stories. I know a LOT of series are like that, and because I did enjoy the writing very much I will very likely read the next installment, but I must admit it's kind of a pet peeve of mine.
All that said, with Christian fantasy really lacking good, well-written books these days, books that don't read like Sunday school lessons, particularly in the YA category, I would definitely recommend this. Again, the writing IS quite good--intelligent and smooth, with a story world that I hope to get to know and understand more in the next book.
My Website
Find me on Facebook
My YA fantasy series:
book 1
book 2
January 23, 2015
One of the reasons I love the holidays is for the lazy time to read; once presents are opened and meals are finished, I love digging into a good book. This year was no exception, and the focus of my mental attention was on Kathrese McKee's debut novel, Mardan's Mark.
Talk about an absorbing, exciting book! I'm not a big Kindle reader (still prefer real books), but I tapped away at those electronic pages until my pointer finger was calloused and my eyes were blurry (that came at around 2am).
Mardan's Mark features a multitude of quirky, loveable characters, page-turning action, and political intrigue -- there are pirates, princesses, slaves, kings and queens, royal guards and even a surprise hurricane. Add to that an air of mystery and fantasy that unfolds as the story does, and Mardan's Mark provides the makings of a book you'll want to devour in one sitting.
My romantic sap needs were met as well. Sigh. The relationships between main characters Aldan and Srilani twisted together in a believable, sweet way that strengthened the plot even more.
Kathrese's strengths as an author are multi-fold, but the two that stood out to me as I read Mardan's Mark are her ability to build and sustain an exciting, non-stop plot and her meticulous detail creating multi-faceted, maturing characters. Aldan and Srilani were life-like on the page as they struggled with danger, their surroundings, their friends and family, and feelings for each other.
Mardan's Mark is a tough book to peg into one category, and that's another strength. Its appeal crosses genre. It has all the ingredients of a great read, and I highly recommend this debut as well as look forward to the second installment of the series, Mardan's Anointed (write fast, Kathrese!)
Talk about an absorbing, exciting book! I'm not a big Kindle reader (still prefer real books), but I tapped away at those electronic pages until my pointer finger was calloused and my eyes were blurry (that came at around 2am).
Mardan's Mark features a multitude of quirky, loveable characters, page-turning action, and political intrigue -- there are pirates, princesses, slaves, kings and queens, royal guards and even a surprise hurricane. Add to that an air of mystery and fantasy that unfolds as the story does, and Mardan's Mark provides the makings of a book you'll want to devour in one sitting.
My romantic sap needs were met as well. Sigh. The relationships between main characters Aldan and Srilani twisted together in a believable, sweet way that strengthened the plot even more.
Kathrese's strengths as an author are multi-fold, but the two that stood out to me as I read Mardan's Mark are her ability to build and sustain an exciting, non-stop plot and her meticulous detail creating multi-faceted, maturing characters. Aldan and Srilani were life-like on the page as they struggled with danger, their surroundings, their friends and family, and feelings for each other.
Mardan's Mark is a tough book to peg into one category, and that's another strength. Its appeal crosses genre. It has all the ingredients of a great read, and I highly recommend this debut as well as look forward to the second installment of the series, Mardan's Anointed (write fast, Kathrese!)
January 14, 2021
This book was great. It was recommended to me by the author's assistant based on other books I'd enjoyed (namely, Patrick Carr's novels) and I'm so glad!
This is an epic fantasy story with strong religious themes modeled after Christianity.
I liked that obstacles were met with almost immediately. Enemies were not built up as larger than life, looming like an oppressive evil presence hunting them to the ends of the earth, like some other books. This was good for keeping my stress levels down without killing off the suspense; their goals were larger than individual threats.
Bearing in mind that this is fantasy, the way Christianity and God were portrayed didn't bother me. I didn't feel like anything was too off the mark. And I feel like some of the situations in the book are good for discussion.
The relationships were obvious from the get go, but I'm okay with that. And some of the surprise plot points were clear from the beginning as well, but that's alright too. I don't need to be taken by surprise to enjoy a story.
The things I didn't like were minor. I didn't think the royal children were as wise as they were built up to be. For example, choosing fake names from the get-go was a great idea. They should have kept up that pretense for the entire novel, if you ask me. They should have guarded their secrets, their identities, their skills a lot more carefully. I felt like they were way too trusting, almost begging to confide in others. And some of their problems were resolved too easily for me to find it entirely believeable.
On the whole, though, this was a great read. I highly recommend it, especially to those who like epic adventure stories about a lost heir fighting to reclaim their throne and unite warring kingdoms.
This is an epic fantasy story with strong religious themes modeled after Christianity.
I liked that obstacles were met with almost immediately. Enemies were not built up as larger than life, looming like an oppressive evil presence hunting them to the ends of the earth, like some other books. This was good for keeping my stress levels down without killing off the suspense; their goals were larger than individual threats.
Bearing in mind that this is fantasy, the way Christianity and God were portrayed didn't bother me. I didn't feel like anything was too off the mark. And I feel like some of the situations in the book are good for discussion.
The relationships were obvious from the get go, but I'm okay with that. And some of the surprise plot points were clear from the beginning as well, but that's alright too. I don't need to be taken by surprise to enjoy a story.
The things I didn't like were minor. I didn't think the royal children were as wise as they were built up to be. For example, choosing fake names from the get-go was a great idea. They should have kept up that pretense for the entire novel, if you ask me. They should have guarded their secrets, their identities, their skills a lot more carefully. I felt like they were way too trusting, almost begging to confide in others. And some of their problems were resolved too easily for me to find it entirely believeable.
On the whole, though, this was a great read. I highly recommend it, especially to those who like epic adventure stories about a lost heir fighting to reclaim their throne and unite warring kingdoms.
July 22, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. What’s funny is I got so sucked into the story that I didn’t notice the similarities with By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson until I was nearly done with the book. It’s a great example of two stories with similar premises yet totally different execution. And I loved how it wrapped up – with one part complete so you get that sense of satisfaction, even though there’s more story to go. (Which I am very much looking forward to reading.)
There are quite a few characters in the group and I loved them all, though Aldan had a slight lead over anyone else. The only confusion I had (and this was my fault because I have this aversion to flipping back in an ebook for some reason) was I wasn’t sure which characters were killed during the beginning kidnapping which made me misunderstand something later in the story.
For a fantasy, I didn’t miss the magical component and didn’t even notice its absence until it was pointed out to me. Having a very spiritual element probably contributed to that. I also really liked the unique world-building and it contained the perfect level of YA romance along with the adventure. (Although speaking of, with a kingdom so dependent on El, I found their stringent purity-of-lineage rules rather extreme. If they really have to go that far, why not do like the Old Testament – making the suspected person drink bitter water or some such and let El judge?)
There are quite a few characters in the group and I loved them all, though Aldan had a slight lead over anyone else. The only confusion I had (and this was my fault because I have this aversion to flipping back in an ebook for some reason) was I wasn’t sure which characters were killed during the beginning kidnapping which made me misunderstand something later in the story.
For a fantasy, I didn’t miss the magical component and didn’t even notice its absence until it was pointed out to me. Having a very spiritual element probably contributed to that. I also really liked the unique world-building and it contained the perfect level of YA romance along with the adventure. (Although speaking of, with a kingdom so dependent on El, I found their stringent purity-of-lineage rules rather extreme. If they really have to go that far, why not do like the Old Testament – making the suspected person drink bitter water or some such and let El judge?)
January 23, 2015
Mardan's Mark is so enchanting and full of love. Immediately after the first few pages, I could tell I wouldn't be able to stop reading. Aldan captured my interest right off-the-bat and I could never let go of the book. Then, he met Srilani, a very strong female character I could identify with. Kathrese McKee did a splendid job of portraying their relationship as friends and co-leaders.
With two loveable, believeable protagonists at the head of this book, facing the crazy challenge of escaping from pirates and corrupt capitols alike, this book is a thrilling read. From a pirate ship to markets to the open air, the world of Mardan's Mark is also full of life and detail. The pace of this novel is perfect with plenty of detail, action and thought interwoven throughout. When reading it, you can tell McKee put a lot of love in the mix.
Relationships in this novel also flow really well! I hate picking up a YA book and finding make-out scenes in the first few chapters. McKee makes a natural progression in all of the relationships she conveys and it makes for a refreshing change. Thanks so much!!
I'll be reading this one again for sure. I can't wait to read the next step for Aldan, Srilani and the crew!
With two loveable, believeable protagonists at the head of this book, facing the crazy challenge of escaping from pirates and corrupt capitols alike, this book is a thrilling read. From a pirate ship to markets to the open air, the world of Mardan's Mark is also full of life and detail. The pace of this novel is perfect with plenty of detail, action and thought interwoven throughout. When reading it, you can tell McKee put a lot of love in the mix.
Relationships in this novel also flow really well! I hate picking up a YA book and finding make-out scenes in the first few chapters. McKee makes a natural progression in all of the relationships she conveys and it makes for a refreshing change. Thanks so much!!
I'll be reading this one again for sure. I can't wait to read the next step for Aldan, Srilani and the crew!
October 9, 2019
I want to pick up this amazing adventure story and keep reading, but I have come to the end.
Kathrese McKee introduces us to the characters of Mardan’s Mark in such a way that I was not confused about who was who, and a glossary is included if you need help. I quickly had suspicions on who had good vs. bad intentions, which I enjoyed. I fell in love with many of the characters and cannot wait to read the next adventure in this series!
Mardan’s Mark contains a map at the beginning to help you understand the fantasy land of the story. There is travel by sea and land, sometimes with the help of horses. I hope no one is disappointed about the lack of dragons or other mystical creatures in this fantasy work. That didn’t bother me at all, but my daughter might miss it.
There is plenty of action and a bit of romance. We learn of our heroes’ strengths and weaknesses, their desires and responsibilities. It made me consider the pros and cons of slave vs. free and poor vs. rich.
I highly recommend Mardan’s Mark and can’t wait to share it with my children who are 17, 14, and 12.
Kathrese McKee introduces us to the characters of Mardan’s Mark in such a way that I was not confused about who was who, and a glossary is included if you need help. I quickly had suspicions on who had good vs. bad intentions, which I enjoyed. I fell in love with many of the characters and cannot wait to read the next adventure in this series!
Mardan’s Mark contains a map at the beginning to help you understand the fantasy land of the story. There is travel by sea and land, sometimes with the help of horses. I hope no one is disappointed about the lack of dragons or other mystical creatures in this fantasy work. That didn’t bother me at all, but my daughter might miss it.
There is plenty of action and a bit of romance. We learn of our heroes’ strengths and weaknesses, their desires and responsibilities. It made me consider the pros and cons of slave vs. free and poor vs. rich.
I highly recommend Mardan’s Mark and can’t wait to share it with my children who are 17, 14, and 12.
September 20, 2016
Oh man, I love this book!
I bought it on a whim at Realm Makers this year, and I am sooo glad I did. Within just a chapter, I was intrigued. Within three chapters I was hooked and wanting to forsake all else in my day just so I could read more.
Start to finish, it is well thought out, with dynamic characters and constant action-- be it something going on with character development or battles or such. I thought I knew what the Mardan's Mark was, until Mrs McKee completely side blinded me with the unexpected. Oh, glorious day! Simultaneously thrilled at that development and also trepidatious, I just had to keep reading to know more. One of the aspects that I love about her writing here is that while riveting, it wasn't stressful or nail biting. It's suspenseful, with a logical progression of events and development, that keeps the reader involved and engaged.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes any aspect of fantasy. My only complaint is that I found this book early enough that the second book in the series isn't ready. But she does have a novella, Healer's Curse, that helps the impatient itch while we wait for the next book.
I bought it on a whim at Realm Makers this year, and I am sooo glad I did. Within just a chapter, I was intrigued. Within three chapters I was hooked and wanting to forsake all else in my day just so I could read more.
Start to finish, it is well thought out, with dynamic characters and constant action-- be it something going on with character development or battles or such. I thought I knew what the Mardan's Mark was, until Mrs McKee completely side blinded me with the unexpected. Oh, glorious day! Simultaneously thrilled at that development and also trepidatious, I just had to keep reading to know more. One of the aspects that I love about her writing here is that while riveting, it wasn't stressful or nail biting. It's suspenseful, with a logical progression of events and development, that keeps the reader involved and engaged.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes any aspect of fantasy. My only complaint is that I found this book early enough that the second book in the series isn't ready. But she does have a novella, Healer's Curse, that helps the impatient itch while we wait for the next book.
January 14, 2015
I don't even know where to begin. This book was amazing! The writing was fantastic and the story amazing. I loved the characters, the story world, the tension and the start of what appears to be a romance. Kathrese gave us a true page turner for her debut novel. I have read this book TWICE and had the same reaction both times, I couldn't put it down. Now, the wait begins for book 2. The torturous (is that a word?) long wait. I hope she has mercy on her readers and doesn't make us beg. It isn't a pretty sight.
One of the things I loved about this book was the pacing of the story. It was a LONG book at 455 pages, but I never felt the length of the novel. I never wondered when it was going to end. I was engaged and turning pages. I loved the minor characters. I think my favorite was Linus. He didn't say much, but boy you know he has a story to tell! What an amazing character.
I was given a free copy of this book for my honest review.
One of the things I loved about this book was the pacing of the story. It was a LONG book at 455 pages, but I never felt the length of the novel. I never wondered when it was going to end. I was engaged and turning pages. I loved the minor characters. I think my favorite was Linus. He didn't say much, but boy you know he has a story to tell! What an amazing character.
I was given a free copy of this book for my honest review.
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