Book Reviews
Our Featured Books
Kindle Book Giveaway!
Kindle Book Giveaway!
Win 100+ Kindle books!
Get Free Books
Get Free Books
Get a free book in exchange for an honest review
School, Library or Charity?
School, Library or Charity?
Free books for your school, library or charity.
Become a Reviewer
Become a Reviewer
Share your opinions to help authors and readers.
Deviations

Deviations

Covenant
by Elissa Malcohn
Fiction - Horror
332 Pages
Reviewed on 07/25/2009
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Elissa Malcohn has created a society of cannibals.  The Masari ritualistically kill the Yata on Meat Day.  They depend on the Yata’s flesh to survive.  There appears to be an understanding between the two “tribes.”   The Masari offers godship and worship to the Yata.

There are dissidents in the Masari want to become self sufficient and not dependent on the Yata to survive.  There are dissidents in the Yatas that do not want to be looked at as a god and that does not want the Masari dependent on them.
Not all Yata are treated as gods, some are raised as livestock.

I cannot tell you that I enjoyed reading Deviations: Covenant.  It is a dark book and at times difficult to read.  However, it is a brilliant book.  There is a deeper meaning behind this series.  This is a study of how societies feed and devour each other.  Elissa Malcohn gives each character a distinct voice.  Well done MS Malcohn.

GupsyWynd

This is just the kind of book I like: too good to put down, but when it's over, you wish there were more and are sorry to see it end. (Fortunately, since this is the first in a series, there is more to look forward to!)
It's a fantastic read: great characters, good story, thought-provoking (you could say lots of 'meat' to the story), and it all really 'comes to life'. I highly recommend it.

Alan Petrillo

This is an excellent book. It is both an entertaining and a thought provoking read.

Unlike most of the self-published novels I've read, this one is surprisingly free of errors in English. Malcohn has built a very interesting and very well developed central conflict, and the development of the story is second to none. Each of her characters is individually well developed. There are no Guys In Black Hats.

Malcohn's development of her milieu with several communities in nearby mountain valleys that know of each other but don't know each other is very much like what my family encountered in Appalachia when my grandparents were doing missionary work there.

The only real criticism I can offer Malcohn is that if she's going to write about firearms then she needs to learn more about them. (Bolt action rifles don't have hammers that have to be cocked separately.) But it's worth suspending one's disbelief in order to read the rest of the story.

I await more from Elissa Malcohn with anticipation.

FatChickDancing

I love the character development and the premise of the central conflict in this story. The author's tone coaxes and guides the reader to judge the ethics of the situation instead of dictating right and wrong. Without revealing the surprising plot, I can say that the story had me creeped out at first, in the way many vampire novels do. But it has a much higher path to it. It's so well-written that once you're caught up in the action, you can't put the book down. The only disappointment is seeing the final pages approaching when you're craving more "meat" to the story.
It's such a relief to know that this is only the first book in the series!