Reviews of The Void Revealed
Below you will find reviews from both professionals and those that have purchased the book: The Void Revealed, by Stephen J Ethier
A Deeply Symbolic and Riveting New Fantasy World
SPR
"Ethier shows a keen sense of the zeitgeist of his characters and uses symbolism that transcends genre, appealing to readers on a visceral, recognizable level. Like an onion being slowly peeled, the world-building becomes increasingly impressive, and readers will be excited for the remainder of the Origo Essentia series. The Void Revealed is a striking start, thanks to a story that is both timely and timelessly entertaining. A deeply symbolic and riveting new fantasy world."
A Descriptive Masterclass
Graig Rose
"From the bird called Kree, to the cabins of Windhold, the author writes his vision vividly for the reader to see. The characterisations of even the insignificant characters are all deeply written such that even their meagre contributions to the story are felt and remembered.
Many events which will at first appear shocking, are dealt with in such a tasteful manner that the reader is quickly soothed, compelled to continue.
The story itself is cleverly woven in chunks as lived by the characters, and pieces which at first seem vague are all neatly intertwined before the end into one.
At its heart the Void Revealed is a love story, but this love is overshadowed by political intrigue and masterful subterfuge, to the point where the reader thinks little of love. Other experiences within the Void only distract the reader further, and only at the end does the reward come. But this is only part one. I can’t wait for part two..."
Well Written and Very Descriptive
JoJo Maxson
"The Void Revealed is the first in the Origo Essentia series by Stephen Ethier. The “religious” Brotherhood has been deceiving the people of Windhold for seven hundred years. It first began when Brother Rebald withheld vital information to the ruling Sentinel. In the Fury's wake, a deadly, fiery wind, Sentinel Dariot finds he lost his wife and son and slipped into despair. Taking advantage of the moment, Rebald persuades him to sign over his sovereign rule. Slowly, the Brotherhood corrupts the civilizations that depend upon each other. They fear the next to reign as they find she isn’t as moldable and she connects with the people.
From the beginning, The Void Revealed possessed a feeling of anticipation and suspense. Stephen Ethier keeps you glued to the pages as this fantasy unwinds. It details the descriptions, making you felt as if you can see the fog rising, the wind howling, and the unknown about to consume another generation. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to more from this author and in this series."
The Void Revealed is a must-read for any epic fantasy fan
Kislany from Online Book Club
"The Void Revealed, the first book in the Origo Essentia epic fantasy series written by Stephen J. Ethier, has at its center a split world. Windhold is sitting atop of the Spire, and the Void, the world below, has been abandoned by those above after a cataclysm wiped out most of it. Since then, the Brotherhood of the Silent Flame, the leading force in Windhold, has done everything in its power to erase the Void from anyone’s memory; everything that told its original history has been destroyed.
Now the people living in Windhold only know the myths surrounding the Void, and even those rumors are told in hushed voices. When Elise, an Aspirant who is destined to replace the Sentinel, enters the Void, she discovers that things are not
quite as they seem. But what secrets is the Void hiding, and can Elise and her
friend, Brand, learn the truth before it’s too late?" continued next ...
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Kislany
"The premise of the book was one that pulled me in right away. I am a big epic fantasy lover, and The Void Revealed reminded me of Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy with its strong world-building. The contrast between Windhold and the world below in the basin area is stark; you get a real sense that once you
leave Windhold and enter the Void, you are really somewhere else. It is a mysterious place that holds a lot of danger.
While a lot is happening in the story, it is heavily character-driven, which I enjoy in
high fantasy novels. Elise, Brand, his intelligent bird Kree, and the rest of
the team are real people with feelings, goals, and ideals. All gestures, actions, and decisions are meaningful, and they all lead to increasing the anticipation of what comes next. Although the book has close to 500 pages, there is no fluff included.
The love story is elegantly done, and it has its natural place in the tale without overshadowing other aspects. There are no gratuitous scenes, and everything that happens is dynamically interwoven with the plot. As usual with epic fantasy stories, intrigue and political machinations are present, although once the action gets going, the adventure takes the front seat and doesn’t let go until the end.
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Kislany
"There is an additional aspect of the book I was drawn to: the book cover, which was created by the author himself. The cover art is on point, and it reveals enough about the two worlds to make you curious without giving you any spoilers. It has nice
visuals with a refreshing image that strongly contrasts with the usual stock
photos many book covers are using.
The Void Revealed is a must-read for any epic fantasy fan, so I give it 4 out of 4 stars. The grammatical errors are minor in
scope, mostly dealing with punctuation issues. If you enjoy reading books by
Brandon Sanderson, J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and Patrick Rothfuss, you
will also find this novel to your liking. My only complaint is that despite the almost 500 pages, the story ended too soon."
Quite an Adventure!
Russ Ann
"Stephen J. Ethier brings us his literary debut book, The Void Revealed which is the first of its series. With his knowledge in different areas, Stephen creates a fantasy world webbed with twists and turns that would surely get you hooked in every page.
Bring the book to an interesting start of setting it hundreds of years ago, you'll slowly fall into the hypnosis of his book. His prose truly creative, unique and interesting especially with how he created the personality for each characters and how it all worked perfectly just like in an orchestra. With a strong female lead paired with logic and adventurous journeys, this book takes you on a great rollercoaster ride."
Intriguing Female Protagonist
Astrofan
"I think the protagonist was actually the strongest part of the book. She's a promising Aspirant who starts seeing through the leaders of her world. Of course she's going to rebel and of course the leaders are going to try to stop her. But the settings are unique enough and the plot is fast-paced enough to keep the story interesting."
Charismatic characters and an in-depth storyline!
MInt Tea
"This book is a little longer than others are, so there is plenty of action for you to read about. There is a lot of time spent getting you familiar with the surroundings, the area, and the people in Windhold. It is almost as if you can feel like you are welcomed in and given a bird’s eye view of the area and its people. I like the character of Elise, she is someone that you don’t want to tangle with. She makes quite an impact in the book and she is memorable, even after you are finished with this book. Other characters are thought out completely too, where they do not feel like they were rushed. This is something I appreciate and gives the book a ton of atmosphere, which makes it even better. It features a cool universe that will likely keep getting better as the books keep being written."
Great Sc-Fi
K Puck
"Elise is the only hope for saving the world from a crazy leader and the secrets in the city of Windhold. After standing in the void, Elise quickly becomes aware that not everything is as the government wants everyone to believe. They will stop at nothing to stop her from spoiling their plans. This is a great Sci-Fi with many plot twists and situations, keeping this book refreshing and entertaining."
Nice world building and interesting main character
Marcia
"This is the second book I’ve read in a very short amount of time that offers a strong female main character in the sci-fi genre. The one who leads the revolution. It’s always refreshing to see that times are changing, so extra kudos for that. The Origo Essentia Series starts with this, The Void Revealed. In it, the author does a very good job in describing the world and the current situation everyone is dealing with. Good world building generating momentum for the rest of the series. Elise is the Aspirant and the one who is going to rebel and challenge the status quo. She is nicely built and her thoughts and actions are representative of what you would expect from someone in her position. The story has a good pace, creating interest and curiosity. Stephen J. Ethier does a very good job in the series beginning and balances well the sci-fi with adventure, to keep things highly entertaining."
Great beginning to a series
Chelsey McQuinty
"This is a great sci fi book, especially if you’re looking for something with a strong female lead. A lot of the time this is really hard to find in sci fi books, but I’ve noticed recently that it has become a bit more common, which is nice, but most of the characters aren’t quite as cool as this one. The author has also placed lots of details into his work, which helps to make the story more realistic. At times, it is a bit hard to get through the details, but I feel most of them helped to make the story even better. I’d recommend this book to anyone that loves a series, as I’m sure the book is only going to get better as the series progresses."
Interesting Book
The-Librarian
"The Void Revealed is the first in the Origo Essentia series of Sci-Fi novels. The protagonist is Elise and she is the only hope for saving the world from a crazy leader and the secrets held within the governing city of Windhold. After a conspiratorial stranding in the Void, Elise quickly becomes aware that not everything is as the governing body would have you believe and they will stop at nothing to ensure she cannot spoil their plans.
This is a great Sci-Fi story with plenty of interesting situations and plot twists. There are the usual Sci-Fi tropes but they don’t feel tired in this book. They are in many ways refreshing and the book doesn’t take itself too seriously making this a much more entertaining read than it otherwise would have been. Great book!"
Great Read
Quirru
"The Void Revealed (Origo Essential Book 1) by Stephen Ethier is a Sci-fi novel about a world Windhold that is over the Void where just death exists, Windhold is full of corruption and because of that, it is ruled by a madman, the only way to save it is through Elisa a strong woman that will be able to make the place a world of peace, but she will need to face a lot of undercover aspects of Windhold that she did not expect to find, she was recovered from the Void by Sentry guard that was brave enough to go there and rescue her and then one hundred questions arrived in their heads because what they knew about the Void and what they saw is not the same, what is happening there? Well written book, with a quick pace and well-defined characters that will blow out your mind with its amazing imaginative world."
Fasinating Elise
Sdan12
"The Void Revealed written by Stephen Ethier is the first book of the Origo Essentia Series, a sci-fi fantasy series. This first book, beyond being an adventure fantasy also touches on important and present-day issues such as corruption, independence of women and so on… In addition to this, the story is set in a new world and it is presented to the reader through a few suggestive details. The main character of the book is Elise, a strong woman who tries to save the world with tenacity and patience to gain significant room for the liberty of the world from oppressive leaders. The book contains vivid images and symbols which reveal a revolutionary perspective as well. It will leave readers with a great deal to think about. I would highly recommend to anyone, no matter what age, to read The Void Revealed and personally, I can’t wait to read the other books in the series."
Detailed World
J. Armstrong
"In the first book a new Sci-Fi adventure, we are given an exciting new world. This world is very detailed, and we are given so much description, it is as if we are walking on the narrow streets of Windhold, feeling a brisk breeze ruffle our hair, or hear the crowd roaring. Windhold sits over a barren land called the Void. It was not always this way, but a fateful day brought blistering winds that eventually led to the lands demise. Windhold has thus far escaped that fate, but it has been ruled over by a power-hungry madman and it is now slipping into madness itself. Elise is our protagonist, a strong female character, groomed to overthrow the ruler and lead Windhold into a time of peace. But when she discovers that things are not truly what they seem, she needs to decide for herself just what path she will take.
I found this was an interesting book, a good vs evil tale full of adventure and a main character full of sass and strength. The supporting characters were well thought out as well and the story made sense, from beginning to end."
Fascinating Science Fiction with a Female Lead
V. E.
"The Void Revealed (Origo Essentia Book 1) by Stephen Ethier is a great first installment in this series. Elise is the female protagonist and she must endeavor to bring peace to the new world. Windhold is this world, and sits over the Void, a barren land. Elise as a strong female lead who tries to create a world of calm, without a horrible leader, catapults this book into entirely new territory. There is fine description in this book, you almost feel as though you are there experiencing this fascinating world. This is a great book, strong and engaging plot, and although somewhat a standard tale of good vs. evil, nonetheless is a formidable and well designed book with interesting characters who face adversity. Strong recommendation."
A thoroughly enjoyable read
Faith Lee
“The Void Revealed” is the first book of the Origo Essentia Series, a Sci-Fi Fantasy adventure with a female protagonist.
The story is highly descriptive and as much as things seem pretty of out of this world, the story and characters are still rather believable.
The story is filled with action and twists and I really love that the story is being lead by a strong female protagonist. This story reminds me of the latest Star Wars and it’s always great to see strong female characters being depicted for their courage, wisdom and strength.
A thoroughly enjoyable read and I certainly look forward to the subsequent books in the series!"
Everything was concise and Interesting
Julius Z
“Described in detail events, heroes and adventures, all that you can find in the book "The Void Revealed". I’ve noticed that I didn’t read science fiction for a long time, and even started missing it, so I can say surely that I liked the book, especially the main character Elise. She is strong and purposeful, Elise knows what she wants to achieve and I really liked to learn more and more about her. In my opinion, such heroes in the books undoubtedly give the reader a motivation for actions and let him be a personality, be strong in order not to follow everyone and not to accept everything that he even doesn’t like. The whole story is well written and there was no time when I could get bored. Everything was concise and interesting. I would recommend the book to my friends, as it left me with a positive impression."
Great story, just took a while to get started.
Corrie M
"The Void Revealed is a great read and foundation for this series. I really liked the main character, Elise and thought she was well-developed and a strong character without being a cliché female heroine. The background to this society was given in a concise way and the tone set the stage for future events. The imagery and amount of detail that the author used to create this world was well done and really helped me feel like I was in the middle of the story. The only criticism that I would have is that there was so much detail early on that it seemed to delay the actual story from starting, and I often found my mind wandering to other things. Once the stage was set, however, the story went at a good pace that held my interest. I am interested in the following books in the series to see if some of that initial description can be cut out."
Exciting New World
Jessica
"In the first book a new Sci-Fi adventure, we are given an exciting new world. This world is very detailed, and we are given so much description, it is as if we are walking on the narrow streets of Windhold, feeling a brisk breeze ruffle our hair, or hear the crowd roaring. Windhold sits over a barren land called the Void. It was not always this way, but a fateful day brought blistering winds that eventually led to the lands demise. Windhold has thus far escaped that fate, but it has been ruled over by a power-hungry madman and it is now slipping into madness itself. Elise is our protagonist, a strong female character, groomed to overthrow the ruler and lead Windhold into a time of peace. But when she discovers that things are not truly what they seem, she needs to decide for herself just what path she will take.
I found this was an interesting book, a good vs evil tale full of adventure and a main character full of sass and strength. The supporting characters were well thought out as well and the story made sense, from beginning to end."
'I have had dealings with humans that have been willing to trade metal for food’
Grady Harp
"Canadian author Stephen J. Ethier earned his degree in engineering drafting and design and has worked with computer software design, as an educator in the New Brunswick college system, and has published thirty five academic books on AutoCAD, modeling in three dimensions, architectural design, animation and mechanical design. Now he makes his literary debut with THE VOID REVEALED, the initial volume of his planned series ORIGO ESSENTIA – a brand of science fiction and fantasy. His gifts as an artist are apparent in the very fine cover art for this book.
Initiating a fantasy epic, especially when the author is presenting concepts that must endure over many volumes, is a challenging task – and one in which Stephen finds security. His prose is eloquent, inventive, creatively scribed, and in designing characters of credibility despite their fantasy monikers and roles he places before us rich figures over the spectrum of good to evil!" continued next ...
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Grady Harp
"An introduction of his thoughts, placed seven hundred years ago, gives hints of the novels breadth: ‘The scorching Fury had arrived, and death soon followed. The trees thrashed, rocks trembled and cracked, and those that lived within the cliff-encircled basin could only scream. Elspa, the City of Carvings, the one and only city in the basin, was in a state of terror. Wood timbers blackened in the heat bursting into flames as stonework shook and tumbled. The Fury’s wanton destruction rushed through the city and the surrounding forests and farmlands unfettered, fanning its own fiery creations, howling as if in glee…Only Windhold, the guardian fortress, carved directly out of the top of the rock, rebuffed the advances of the Fury.’ In this passage the atmosphere is set and the design of the tale is unfurled." continued next ...
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Grady Harp
"The novel is lengthy, but Stephen has condensed his epic as an overview – ‘Sitting atop the Spire, Windhold is governed by the theocratical Brotherhood and the secular leadership of the Sentinel. Below them lies the Void, a barren land filled with the Red Death that arrived with the blistering winds of the Fury. The corruption in Windhold has left everyone at the mercy of a madman. The only hope is Elise, groomed to be the Aspirant and replace the Sentinel for a peaceful new world. But when she ventures into the Void, she discovers that Windhold may not be everything it seems.’
Goals accomplished: a very strong female lead, a fantasy that quietly reflects current themes garbed in costumes of fiction, a painterly ‘other world’ that is near actually visible, strong philosophical ideas, and the stepping stones for a prolonged, and likely very successful, series. Enter this realm willingly – the rewards are plentiful."
The Secrets, Lies, the power, and ... Elise!
Lorenza Seldner
"I liked the feeling of suspense that spreads through the pages. The author’s level of creativity and imagination is surprising, but not the point of making a laughable tale. I also praise the author for the vivid descriptions and the well-shaped heroine Elise.
It’s been seven hundred years since the Brotherhood is ruling windhold people. Elise rises as the hope, the one who saves the world from a deranged, unhinged leader. She will learn the secrets the government hides; she will face deceit, and she will face the mighty hand attempting her from renouncing her dreams. My only complaint with the book is that –particularly at the beginning –it takes too long for some action to happen. Inner thoughts, long descriptive paragraphs fill the first portion; I attribute this to the author’s intention to immerse us in this fictitious world. Nonetheless, I had a hard time getting hooked. After that, I liked it!"
The Void was a Forbidden Place for Friend and Foe, Why? Hiding a Secret?
Scarlet Jensen
"Rebald says “From this day forward, by order of our beloved Sentinel, the Basin will be forever closed to us in Windhold. It shall be referred to as the Void and none shall go there. This will remain in effect until the demon, the Red Death, is gone.”
Most narration is in the third person, neatly described without lengthy dialogue of the characters, smoothing the process of reading. Picturesque descriptions in clear geographical and geological terms give visual understanding and mood of the area.
The reader gets a sense there are lot of secrets held within those stones. There is currently a most craven plot afoot to destroy Windhold. "