Running from Destiny

New Beginnings, Book 1

De: M.A. Rothman

Narrado por: Tim Campbell

Eighteen-year-old Jason Rogers’ life is turned upside-down when he finds himself in the custody of an unnamed government agency that is falsely accusing him of being responsible for the explosion that caused the death of his parents.

Anya is 17 - a teenager who wishes she could be normal for once - but she’s not. A secret government agency, headed by none other than her father, knows how to leverage the dangerous capability she was born with. All goes well for her until one of the agents turns on her.

Jason and Anya find themselves an unlikely duo as one escapes from an unjust incarceration and the other runs from the people who betrayed her. Ultimately, Jason’s escape makes him confront who and what he has become. Was his destiny really written in a musty tome over a thousand years ago? Anya’s trust for those she holds most dear wavers as she realizes betrayal may have fatal consequences. Trying to run from the burden of his destiny, Jason learns it could cost him not only his life, but Anya’s as well.

And the fate of the world lies in the balance.

©2020 M.A. Rothman (P)2021 Podium Audio

Good listen!

Really enjoyed the story and Preformance. Story was formed well and each person was well defined and believable.

Very good story line

Enjoyed this book very much. Beginning the second book now. Really enjoyed it and the narration.

Never boring

This would make a great Netflix series. Avatar reminds me of this book, but it’s too long to be a movie

Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Interesting, Mysterious

Fantasy, Paranormal, interesting, mysterious and with a little romance all rolled into this wonderfully written and narratored book. Well worth sharing.

Interesting and creative

Very interesting and creative but wish it would have completed Anyas story, unless more of her story to come.

good could be great

this book has potential but doesn't quite reach it. the characters move really fast in this book. we go from kinda scared kids with no clue what is going on to, well I guess this is my life now most of the books problems are left to be solved at the end of the book not when there meaningful in the book. I mean the book wraps everything up in the last 2 hours of the book not though out the book it makes it feel rushed. the good parts are the story's overall premise and idea .

Good

Good, compelling but not profound. Provides connection and linkage to worlds in the other series.

Great start no sequel

Author developed a story line with potential. The two main characters, Jason and Anya have separate stories that can join to become one. The author ended the story with a cliff hanger that looks like it will never be finished. Jason waiting for Anya to return. Anya off to be tested with no word on her fate. Books 2 and 3 have no connection with book 1 to show Jason and Anya's story.

Another Home Run by M.A. Rothman

M.A. Rothman is becoming one of my favorite modern fantasy writers. He has a unique talent for writing interesting characters/relationships and blending traditional fantasy with modern settings.

I also love the way he blends science and academia into his fantasy stories. As someone with a degree in linguistics, the parts about linguistics professors had me rolling on the floor, because it’s so spot on. Lots of corny language jokes (“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.” , “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.”) and getting excited over technical terms used to describe speech sounds (plosives, fricatives, and don’t even get me started on glottal stops or clicks).

The premise of the constant struggle between order and chaos being expressed through various religions is a pretty cool concept, although I wish there were more references to religions not part of the big 3 Monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). I also wish there was a bit more ambiguity than chaos = evil and order = good. I appreciated the reference to big business using lies and greed to indirectly bring good to more people, but some other examples of chaos leading to good outcomes or order leading to evil outcomes would have been awesome.

I also like the followers of Lilith as a sort of neutral party mostly following chaos but able to be swayed by either side. There are some plot holes regarding them that I’d like to see filled (if they want to reproduce so bad without hurting others, why not start a sperm bank and practice artificial insemination? Would even indirect impregnation magically suck the life essence out of the man? That’d be better than not even considering it, given that modern corporations are seen advancing the causes of each side in the struggle of order and chaos, so why not modern solutions to this magical problem?). Overall I really like the dynamic, though.

Finally, I liked the tie-ins to our heroes from the last set of books, and expanding on different types of magic. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Classic bait and switch.

This book ends with a cliff hanger just hinting at real action coming. Then book two. Completely different characters and story.