Remember a few weeks ago when I was part of a cover reveal for Jaye L. Knight‘s newest book?  Good!  Well, today, I have the privilege of, not only telling you HER BOOK IS NOW FOR SALE, but I was also given the opportunity to read and review her book AND interview the author as part of her blog tour.   Not only that, but Jaye also has an absolutely awesome giveaway.  So make sure you read to the end and while you are at it, go over to Amazon  to pick up a copy.  This is a must read book.  At least in my opinion.

About the Book

“Don’t you know? Animals like you have no soul.”

Could God ever love a half-blood all of society looks upon with such fear and disdain? Jace once believed so, but when a tragic loss shatters the only peace he’s ever known, his faith crumbles as the nagging doubts he’s tried to put behind him descend on his grieving heart. With them come the haunting memories of the bloodstained past he longs to forget, but can never escape.

Taken from home at a young age and raised to serve the emperor, Kyrin Altair lives every day under a dangerous pretense of loyalty. After her unique observation skills and perfect memory place her into direct service to the emperor, Kyrin finds herself in further jeopardy as it becomes increasingly difficult to hide her belief in Elôm, the one true God.

Following the emperor’s declaration to enforce the worship of false gods under the penalty of death, many lives are endangered. But there are those willing to risk everything to take a stand and offer aid to the persecuted. With their lives traveling paths they never could have imagined, Jace and Kyrin must fight to overcome their own fears and conflicts with society as they become part of the resistance.

Review

 Fleeing. Rayad crunched his brows down. At this age, he should have been retired and living comfortably, but no. He was a wanted man.

Thus begins an epic tale of adventure, survival, betrayal, and faith.

Resistance is a Christian Fantasy book with no magic (good or bad). I personally do not usually enjoy Fantasy, even when it is Christian. Yes, I have read, and enjoyed, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings, but even with each of those series, I had some issues with some of the elements of the stories from a theological perspective. But, that is a discussion for another time.

I contend that Jaye L. Knight has written a Christian Fantasy book that can be enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians alike and is, in my opinion, even better than the aforementioned series’. Why do I say this? Read on and I will try to explain.

Spiritual Content: 5/5

Though set in a Fantasy world, Resistance has a spiritual element to it similar to Earth’s Ancient Rome. There is “pagan” religion where they worship the male and female moon gods and there is a more “Christian” religion in which they worship “Elom”-Ilyon’s version of the Christian God.

There is no magic whatsoever in this book, so anybody with objections to magic in Fantasy books, can safely read Resistance. The villains and evil characters in the book all follow Aertus and Vilai and are just evil and villainous without using unhuman means.

Violence Content: 5/5 (for those over the age of 10)

Ms. Knight never glorifies violence in her book, but there is some necessary violence. A fight akin to that of the gladiators is described. A young man is whipped cruelly. Another beheading is witnessed. There are some torture scenes and some scenes where desperate people are trying to survive. Some of the content may even be somewhat mature for 10-13 year olds. Parents should proceed with caution.

Sexual Content: 5/5

There is none.

Writing: 5/5

I was hooked from the first paragraph and could hardly put the book down. The only reason I put it down besides to eat, sleep (at least a little), and go to work, was because there were a few times when the Jaye was doing such a good job of describing things, that I had to put it down to give my mind a break.

The writing style is perfect for the book and there were very few typos (disclaimer: my copy was an advanced reader copy). The writing never took me away from the story.

Overall: 5/5

I have to admit that my favorite character was Jace. Jace’s character had me struggling to not cry. All I wanted to do was give him a hug and help him understand. A very close second, was Kyrin. Both of these characters felt out of place in their various situations and environments, and I can often relate to that, so Jace and Kyrin both spoke to me while I read Resistance.

Overall, Resistance is my new favorite Fantasy book and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, opinions and commentary about the book are mine and do not reflect the views of the author.

Interview

1. Where did you get the inspiration for Jace?

Inspiration came from my favorite character in the DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul. I won’t say who to avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn’t read the books, but it was during a scene where I discovered the character was half-blooded, and in this particular fantasy world, that was not very acceptable to society. Writing about half-bloods wasn’t a new idea for me. In my Makilien Trilogy I had a couple of Half-Elves, but that was normal and accepted in the story. Reading DragonKeeper Chronicles got me thinking how interesting it would be to write about a half-blood who wasn’t accepted by society. I took that even further and started considering what it would be like and how difficult it would be for the character if he was part of a race everyone looked on as no better than animals. And, in one brief afternoon, that is how Jace and his story came to be.

2. How has your family assisted or hindered your writing?

My family has been a huge support for me in the years I’ve been writing, especially my mom. I really don’t know what I’d do without her. She has worked so hard on helping me prepare Resistance for publication. She’s pretty much been involved in every part of it. I’m always asking her for her opinion and for help when I’m trying to figure things out. It’s especially nice that she is a writer too so we can have our crazy writer conversations and completely understand each other.

3. What kind of hobbies do you have?

When I have the time (and extra money), I love to design and sew both fantasy and historical costumes. I really love historical reenactment and participate in a local buckskinners’ rendezvous (reenactment of the 1700s to early 1800s) every year. It’s four days of camping out in canvas tents, wearing our period clothing, and doing almost everything in a period correct way. It’s so much fun to be a part of and get to visit with everyone. It’s like one big family. And I don’t know if you’d call it an actual hobby, but one of my favorite things to do is go to flea markets looking for old oil lamps and other interesting antiques. I think I have about twenty oil lamps in my room now. I just love old things.

4. What is your favorite genre to read?

If you’d take a peek at my bookshelf, you’d see almost all fantasy titles. I think it’s safe to say fantasy is my favorite. I love exploring new worlds and peoples. But I probably read almost as much historical fiction as fantasy. I’ve always been a real history buff.

5. What is your favorite genre to write and why?

I used to think it was historical fiction, because that’s what I started out writing when I really got serious about publishing, but now can say it’s fantasy. I love the freedom fantasy offers. It still involves some research, but I don’t have to worry about being historically correct. I can just let my imagination run wild and do whatever the story requires, which is not always possible in writing historical. Plus, in writing Ilyon Chronicles, I’ve found myself crossing genres in little ways. There are definite parts to it that feel like a dystopian novel, and even scenes that have a slight Western feel. It’s fun to be able to do that.

Pop Quiz:

Tea, coffee, or water?

Most definitely tea. I don’t like coffee . . . or water.

Cats or dogs?

Both? We have both, and I love all my babies. 😉 I don’t think I could pick.

Ebooks or real books?

While I put my Kindle to good use, I prefer real books.

Earrings, necklaces, or rings?

Rings. I wear a couple almost every day, but usually only wear other jewelry when I’m dressing up.

Facebook or Google +?

Facebook. Google+ annoys me, lol.

About the Author

 JAYE L. KNIGHT is a 25-year-old independent author with a passion for writing Christian fantasy and clean NA (New Adult) fiction. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God’s love shines as a light to offer hope.

Jaye is a homeschool graduate and has been penning stories since the age of eight. She was previously published as Molly Evangeline. You can learn about her latest writing projects at www.jayelknight.com.

Social Media Links

• Facebook Author Page
• Facebook Series Page
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google+ Author Page
• Google+ Series Page
• YouTube
• Author Blog
• Series Blog

Giveaway

Immerse yourself in the world of Ilyon! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win an autographed copy of Resistance (Book 1 in the “Ilyon Chronicles” series), a Resistance-inspired necklace crafted by the author (Jaye L. Knight), a Better Homes “Warm Rustic Woods” candle, and a wolf paw leather bookmark from Lodgepole Leathercraft. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway