I couldn’t find the book. Not on my TBR pile by my bed. Not in the TBR pile in my book bad (that’s what “bag” sounds like right now. Just sayin’). And no, it wasn’t even in the double TBR row of books on my shelf under the window. It had been there just a week before.
For what it’s worth, I suspect I’ll walk in the room tomorrow and it’ll be exactly where I looked. #becauseMurphy
Desperation sent me to Amazon to buy a Kindle copy. Elusive books have nothing on my Amazon clicking skills. Thought you oughtta know.
Besides, I’d been looking forward to reading space opera, Brand of Light by Ronie Kendig for… MONTHS. See, I’ve wanted to try her work for ages, and decided this book would be the one. Not only that, I’d seen the reviews coming in over the past week. Even people who don’t usually enjoy sci-fi were loving it.
Perfect for me.
So, with my nebulizer filling my lungs with meds so I could breathe, I began. Yeah, me. A Space opera. What can I say?
Somewhere around the middle of Chapter One, I began again. I hadn’t had too much trouble with the prologue so I started at Chapter One. The third time I tried to get through it I put the book away.
Look, I don’t think the problem is the book. I’m sick. Hopped up on nebulizer drugs and oxygen-deprived. What I did notice is that the book is well-written and appears to be well-plotted. I will read this. I’ll update. Maybe even in just a couple of days. But it would be unjust of me to assume the problem is with the book when everyone else seems to love it and when I know I’m super sick.
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Did This Book Make Me Love Space Opera
Got no clue. But I hope to know soon. What I can tell is if my brain ever starts working, I am pretty sure it’s made me a fan of Roni Kendig!
Brand of Light is on tour with Celebrate Lit.
About the Book
Book: Brand of Light
Author: Ronie Kendig
Genre: Christian Fiction, futuristic, space opera,
Release Date: December 3, 2019
Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they’re not alone.
After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she’s borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.
Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order—not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted—or cursed—with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.
About the Author
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty titles. An Army brat, Ronie lives a short train ride from New York City with her husband, twin sons, and two fur-sons, VVolt N629, a retired military working dog, and Benning the Stealth Golden.
Described as an empath by her literary agent, Ronie has used her degree in psychology to write books that have won the coveted Christy Award, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion Award, and more. Her books have also hit the CBA Bestseller List multiple times.
More from Ronie
In November 2005, I lurched into a story that started with one small element—what if a hero could literally smell fear? And so I delved into the story with the characters and felt like I’d fallen into the vortex. I wrote over 90,000 words in one month, this story just gushing out of me.
But I was a very new writer. And if you saw the first draft that gushed out of me, you’d snicker. I sure have. It’s appallingly bad writing, yet the story’s bones are healthy and intact. So, I teased the story into shape over the last fourteen years. In 2012, I took a hard look at it and tried to shape up the writing. I’d even gotten to know Kathy Tyers, who wrote for the Star Wars franchise as well as the much-beloved Firebird series (*insert reverent pause here*), and I bravely asked if she would take a peek at the first fifty pages or so. Being gracious as Kathy is, she agreed to take a look.
Um, yikes. Haha. Make no mistake—Kathy is a brilliant writer, and I will never write like her, but I learned so much her feedback and took it to heart. Clearly, I still had a long way to go before that story was ready for the world, so I delved into honing my craft and deepening this story. Honestly, I was afraid to show Brand of Light to anyone again, because I love this story so much and did not want to see “her” fail.
More correctly—I did not want to fail this story.
About three years ago, I sensed a deep conviction that it was time to stop hiding and, as an act of faith and obedience to what God had given me, to send Brand of Light out into the world. As I write this, she is still 1.5 months out from the release, and I’m scared. I want this beauty to be loved, but even if it’s not, *I love this story and know I honored God with my writing and sending her out. I can rest here for a long while, reveling in the gift God gave me with this story world and its characters. I’m excited to see her launch out into the deep now. As Marco and the hunters always say, For Honor.
Blog Stops
Through the Fire Blogs, December 14
April Hayman, Author, December 14
Hallie Reads, December 14
amandainpa , December 15
Inside the Wong Mind, December 15
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, December 16
Wishful Endings, December 16
Pause for Tales, December 16
A Reader’s Brain, December 17
Faery Tales Are Real, December 17
Simple Harvest Reads, December 18 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 18
Where Faith and Books Meet, December 18
Texas Book-aholic, December 19
Mia Reads Blog, December 19
Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 20
Betti Mace, December 20
Books, Life, and Christ, December 20
Just the Write Escape, December 21
Britt Reads Fiction, December 21
Blogging With Carol , December 22
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 22
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 23
All-of-a-kind Mom, December 23
The Artist Librarian, December 23
Emily Yager, December 24
mypreciousbitsandmusings, December 24
Bakerkella, December 25
Worthy2Read, December 25
janicesbookreviews, December 26
Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 26
Just Your Average reviews, December 26
Inklings and notions, December 27
Splashes of Joy, December 27
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Ronie is giving away the grand prize package of a Tinted Prose edition of Brand of Light, Galaxy Tumbler, “Kersei” Dio Adorable Candle, 3 Character Cards (to include Marco, Kersei, Tigo), and 2 Maps (to include Drosero and the planetary map)!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/f2e2/brand-of-light-celebration-tour-giveaway
You know I love SciFi and Space Opera. This is the second of this particular “brand” I’ve seen lately. I do hope it’s better than the first one I read.