Teaser Tuesday: Release Day Blitz for Knights of Rilch by Rachel O'Laughlin

It's here! It's here! It's here! Okay, so I already reviewed it yesterday. But now YOU can purchase your own copy, or win some great prizes like a signed copy of the book and swag! If you want to read the first chapter, head on over to Rachel's blog where she has the entire chapter posted. =D

When Serengard rebelled and the Orion monarchy fell, former crown princess Kierstaz Orion’s love for her people became a burning desire to set things right. With a price on their heads, Kierstaz and her brother Mikel led a handful of men against the new army, fighting skirmishes all along the border of Dreibourge. But months of heavy bloodshed forced her small band of knights to abandon the border—and all of Serengard—to the rebels.


Nine years and a thousand betrayals later, Kierstaz and Mikel again find themselves on the run—only this time, they’ve a boy in tow: Malcom, the son of two of the Seren rebellion’s strongest leaders. The new regime wants him dead, Mikel wants him alive, and it’s all Kierstaz can do to keep their tracks covered. Desperate to preserve the innocent life she swore to protect and the brother who has always stood by her, Kierstaz must gamble the last thing in the world she owns: her identity. Secrets are a staple of the Orion family, and those Kierstaz keeps are as dangerous as the ones kept from her.


KNIGHTS OF RILCH is the sequel to COLDNESS OF MAREK, and the second book in the SERENGARD Series.

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Author Bio:
Rachel O’Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories in which heroines tend to get their hands dirty, bad guys sometimes win, and someone always gets kidnapped. Her passion for history morphed into a love for fantasy in her mid-teens, when she took a brief pause from reality for immersion in the arts and a hands-on education in sustainable living. She lives in New England with her husband and two boys, listens to The Fray, and drinks too many lattes. Two novels in her SERENGARD fantasy series have been released, and a third is scheduled for October 2014.

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Weekend Wrap Up: Review of Knights of Rilch (Serengard #2) by Rachel O'Laughlin

You guys...this book. This SERIES. If you haven't already read Coldness of Marek, the first book in Rachel O'Laughlin's Serengard series, I highly recommend it. Because this series only gets better. I was lucky enough to read the next book in the series Knights of Rilch before it releases tomorrow, and you should be jealous. Definitely.

About the Book:

When Serengard rebelled and the Orion monarchy fell, former crown princess Kierstaz Orion’s love for her people became a burning desire to set things right. With a price on their heads, Kierstaz and her brother Mikel led a handful of men against the new army, fighting skirmishes all along the border of Dreibourge. But months of heavy bloodshed forced her small band of knights to abandon the border—and all of Serengard—to the rebels.

Nine years and a thousand betrayals later, Kierstaz and Mikel again find themselves on the run—only this time, they’ve a boy in tow: Malcom, the son of two of the Seren rebellion’s strongest leaders. The new regime wants him dead, Mikel wants him alive, and it’s all Kierstaz can do to keep their tracks covered. Desperate to preserve the innocent life she swore to protect and the brother who has always stood by her, Kierstaz must gamble the last thing in the world she owns: her identity. Secrets are a staple of the Orion family, and those Kierstaz keeps are as dangerous as the ones kept from her.

KNIGHTS OF RILCH is the sequel to COLDNESS OF MAREK, and the second book in the SERENGARD Series.

About the Author:

Rachel O’Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories in which heroines tend to get their hands dirty, bad guys sometimes win, and someone always gets kidnapped. Her passion for history morphed into a love for fantasy in her mid-teens, when she took a brief pause from reality for immersion in the arts and a hands-on education in sustainable living. She lives in New England with her husband and two boys, listens to The Fray, and drinks too many lattes. Two novels in her SERENGARD fantasy series have been released, and a third is scheduled for October 2014.

Goodreads  Website  Facebook  Twitter






My Review:

Knights of Rilch by Rachel O'Laughlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rachel O'Laughlin does not disappoint with the second book in her Serengard series. This book is filled with action and intensity from the very start, and Rachel has woven a careful web of stories around each of her main characters, constantly pulling them apart only to draw them back in again with Trzl's schemes. I really liked how the history of what happened directly after the rebellion was told, and how it helped you to understand everything happening now and how the characters have evolved.

What I love the most about these characters is that there really is no 100% bad guy, aside from maybe Otreya. Trzl, Mikel, Kierstaz--they've all done things that they feel have tainted their character. Their moral lines can be blurred at times, though this seems to weigh the heaviest with Mikel (which is a nice turn of events since female characters are stereotypically the softer and more full of regret).

Reading this book, you feel completely immersed in the world and the war. The violence is everywhere, and we are reminded of that without having our noses rubbed in it. I've said it before, and I will say it again: Rachel O'Laughlin has a brilliant gift for detail without boring the reader. She knows how to enchant you, and that is exactly what she does with this series. Her world exists so purely, and so vividly. The plots are intricately played out, the characters well developed and believably flawed, the relationships strained but not beyond hope, and the politics and action creating a tension that takes hold of you and doesn't let go, even with the last page. Brilliantly done!


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Review: Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin

Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I haven't felt this immersed in the world of a book in a long time. Rachel O'Laughlin's attention to detail is amazing. She doesn't spend pages upon pages describing the world to you, but does an excellent job of letting you see it all through each character's eyes. The changes in POV were fluid, the overall voice never faltering, but still giving you a feel for the differences in the characters and their views. There were times I would come back from a reading break and forget that the story wasn't written in first person because of how strong of a feel I had for the characters, particularly Trzl.

The story has a great build, right from the action at the beginning. The intensity never seems to let up as you piece together what happened in the 10 years since Trzl and Mikel first met. I love the changes you can see in Trzl from that stubborn and somewhat naive rebel using her feminine wiles to aid the cause she so believed in, to the protective mother she is today, willing to anything and everything to keep her child safe.

Reading the fight scenes felt like watching a dance. They were easy to follow, but not mechanical in any way. Some writers can get a little too caught up in the action, making the fights too busy. But Rachel did an excellent job writing descriptions that might cause you to wince, but not scratch your head in confusion.

The romantic undertones were very well written and distinguished from the usual cliches you might find in fantasy novels. Trzl is not a damsel in distress by any stretch of the imagination, and Mikel is very much so the reluctant hero. The conflict between these two somehow manages to play a minor and major role in the overall story. It is a card that is never over-played by Rachel, which made the story all the more enjoyable. There might not be any actual hope for these two to get together with everything that has happened, but watching them fight against their own hearts is very compelling.

I was also very pleased with how Malcolm was written. He's a brave young boy instead of one hiding behind his mother's skirts. I loved how tough and intelligent he is. He picked up on a lot more than the adults gave him credit for, with the exception of perhaps Marek. The minor characters were all very well distinguished from one another, with their own sets of goals and problems. The twist with Tev really caught me offguard, which was great.

There isn't a dull moment in this book. Every chapter, every scene--something is always happening. I really can't sing enough praises for this book. I can't wait to see what happens with the sequel!

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Guest Post: Rachel O'Laughlin Talks POVs

Today is an awesome day because I have one of the best critique partners and one of the best writers of fantasy here to talk about POVs (a topic you all know is very close to my heart!). Let's hear what she has to say, and then find out below how you can win an ecopy of her book Coldness of Marek.

Hi, readers and writers! I’m thrilled to be guest blogging on Mara’s blog today, talking about multiple points-of-view in fiction, and particularly fantasy. This is especially a cool topic for both Mara and I, as we’ve swapped ideas back and forth over manuscripts and golly, is it FUN.

I’m a bit of a point-of-view addict. If I could come at a story from EVERYBODY’S point of view, I would. Some writers of literary masterpieces did just that — slipped in and out of many heads seamlessly, without the need to break for breath or chapter heading. Nowadays, most writers are expected to be a little more uniform in the way we write. I confess, I hate these types of confines sometimes. But in the realm of point-of-view, it’s a pretty good idea to have some boundaries. I think this is one of those things where it’s really up to the writer to make those boundaries themselves, or with some critique-partners who know their style.

Some epic fantasy writers have one character from each major race, or family, or continent. Some have a hero, a villain, and a love interest. Some want to have all their points-of-view be protagonists in their own right. I’ve seen all kinds work. Even an exclusive four female points-of-view (or four male, of course) can be compelling when done well. When it comes down to it, the most important part for me is the characters’ relation to each other. That’s where the main story is happening.

For you readers out there, I thought I’d give a breakdown of who these people typically are for me. Just for fun.

The Protagonist - He/she doesn’t have to be a hero. This is just the person I’m following through the story. Everything revolves around them. Even if secondary heroes/multiple protagonists exist and I’m following them, too, there needs to be a main anchor. This is also the person we can assume doesn’t die…unless I’m mean, like George R.R. Martin. Let’s not even talk about that. *runs over to the corner to cry over Eddard one more time*

The Antagonist - Yup, I like coming from this person’s perspective as well. Why? Because I want to see inside their twisted little head. One of my favorite things an artist ever said in an interview was when Eliza Dushku was asked who she would be imprinted with if she could be someone else for a day (in the context of her starring role in the show, Dollhouse). Her answer was, “I would be Quentin Terrentino. I just wonder what’s going on in that man’s brain.” And that sums up why I like to be in this head. Who thinks these things? I’m curious.

The Counterpoint - This is definitely different than the antagonist, in that this character does NOT play the role of ruining the life of my main character. But every book I’ve penned has always had someone who fills this role. The opposite side. The mirror, the other way of looking at things. In Coldness of Marek, Mikel is the obvious counterpoint, but I didn’t come from his point-of-view at all. There are a lot of counterpoints in Trzl’s life. In the first part, it’s Dremir. In the second, Gernan.

The Darling - Wheee! Happies! This can be the comic relief, the love interest, the best friend, the kid brother, the bossy aunt that also bakes cupcakes. I tend to skip this character if I can help it, because I just like writing dark stories, but Coldness of Marek actually has one, and I did use his point-of-view. Yay Colstadt!

The Mentor/Apprentice - Obi-Wan is my perfect example here. In Star Wars 1-3, he’s the apprentice. In 4-6, he’s the mentor. But this can be either/or, or two different characters altogether. In Coldness, I only have the apprentice, Malcom. In the second book, Knights of Rilch, I have an older Knight who is definitely the mentor. The reason this character is often so real for us, I think, is because we all have these people in our lives. We have mentors we look up to, whether they be parents or teachers or employers, and we all have those who are relying on us for mentoring in one thing or another.

And that’s most of them, I do believe. If you’re a writer, which points-of-view do you tend to utilize? If you’re a reader, what are your favorite uses of point-of-view in novels?

Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coldness-Marek-Serengard-Rachel-OLaughlin/dp/0984919414/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Coldness-Marek-Serengard-Volume-1/dp/0984919414/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coldness-of-marek-rachel-olaughlin/1107918434?ean=2940148509899

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Excerpt of Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin

If you haven't read this book by now, you really need to. No, I don't care that it just came out and your To-Read list is a mile high. Yes, I know it is totally unfair that I got an ARC and was thus made aware of the awesomeness of this book before it even came out. But you know what? Take a second to put yourself in my shoes, guys. Geesh. I'm the one who has been sitting here since August 3rd, just chomping at the bit until I can urge you to rush out and buy this book. My review doesn't even cover how amazing it is. But this first chapter might give you an idea.

So I guess I will quit gushing and get to it. Then you can go buy the book, read it in one day (because trust: you will not be able to put it down), and we can gush over it together! Oh, and Rachel O'Laughlin herself will be stopping by on August 12th to talk about writing multiple points of view.  Here's the blurb so you have a reminder of what the book is about:

COLDNESS OF MAREK

Epic Fantasy
The First in the Serengard Series
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Serengard has been under Orion rule for centuries—centuries of insufferable adherence to laws and traditions that its people no longer believe in. Raised by her scholarly grandfather in the fiery southern city of Neroi, Trzl is dedicated to turning the monarchy into a free society where knowledge is king and no one has to be subject to the whims of an Orion.

As the rebellion escalates, her choices have an eerie impact on the revolution at large, elevating her to a position of influence she has only dreamed of attaining. But there are downsides to her new power that entangle her in a dangerous web of emotions, appearances and alliances. Even as she plays to the attractions of Hodran, a rich nobleman who wants to aid her cause, she is drawn to Mikel, a loyalist farmer who hates the rebellion but just might be winning her heart.

By the time Trzl realizes she is in too deep, she has an infant son and a dark mess of betrayal and lies. She runs to the furthest corner of the kingdom in hopes that she will be left alone with her child, but she has created too many demons. A figure she once trusted will take her captive in the chilling Cliffs of Marek, throw her back into the political upheaval she helped create, and leave her at the mercy of a man she never wanted for an enemy.

COLDNESS OF MAREK

FIRST CHAPTER

To the east of Dragon Country.

In the 10th year of The Four Cities.

THE HILL COUNTRY WAS SUPPOSED to be safer. Trzl would have put boards over her doors and windows like the rest of the settlers, but she did not believe in signs like the stirred fog and other nonsense.

“The fog is not lying still,” her neighbor told her, shaking his head. “Something is churning it, far away, up in the mountains.”

Rem was ancient and believed in the old sayings. Sayings that had kept people enslaved, kept them bound to nature. And it was too late in the year for cold dragons or fanged cats. Even Trzl knew that, and she was from the city.

But Malcom—Malcom looked worried, too. The last time Trzl had seen him afraid was two years ago, when a snake came into their pantry in broad daylight. Even then, he had been brave enough to kill the reptile. Her son was no weakling. His very name meant simply, in the Seren tongue, ground. A certain type of ground. Firm, high, far from the storms of the sea or the quicksand of the desert or the lowlands that flooded. His soul was older than most boys of his years, and she knew it.

Now he stared out the window, shivering.

Then again, her house was cold. It always was on mornings like this.

They all heard the hoofbeats at the same time. More than one horse. At least a dozen, moving at a smooth canter.

Cover Reveal for Rachel O'Laughlin's Coldness of Marek

Hey, you! Take a break! It's time for me to flaunt a shiny new book that you are gonna want to get your hands on. Today is the cover reveal for Rachel O'Laughlin's The Coldness of Marek, book one in the Serengard series, which comes out in August. Rachel is a writing buddy of mine, so there will be plenty more to come on the release. For now, check out the cover and the blurb, get to know Rachel on Twitter and Facebook, preorder the book through her website, and start counting down the days until the release! I know I will be!

Serengard has been under Orion rule for centuries. Centuries of insufferable adherence to laws and traditions that none of its people ever asked for or agreed to. Raised by her scholarly grandfather in the fiery southern city of Neroi, Trzl is out to turn the monarchy into a free society where knowledge is king and no one has to be subject to the whims of an Orion.

 

As the rebellion escalates, her choices have an eerie impact on the revolution at large, elevating her to a position of influence she has only dreamed of attaining. But there are downsides to her power: appearances and alliances that must be upheld. One of them is Hodran, a rich rebel who wants to aid her cause, and another is Mikel, a loyalist farmer who wants to destroy it… and who just might be winning her heart at the same time.

By the time Trzl realizes she is in too deep, she has an infant son and a dark mess of betrayal and lies. She runs, to the farthest corner of the kingdom, in hopes she will be left alone with her child. But she has a few too many demons. Someone she once trusted takes her captive among the chilling Cliffs of Marek. She is thrown back into the political mess she helped create… at the mercy of a man she never wanted for an enemy.

About Rachel O'Laughlin:
 
Obsessed with all things history, Rachel grew up reading adventure stories the caliber of Rafael Sabatini and only recently fell in love with fantasy as a genre. She lives in Maine with her husband and children, grows roses and tweets often. In addition to reading and writing, she loves coffee, spy series, and alternative rock.