Eternal Seas

The Relic Hunters, Book 1

By: Lexi Rees

Narrated by: Chris Devon

Such a small parcel shouldn’t cause experienced smugglers much trouble, but this parcel is far from normal.

Lost and scared after a violent storm, Finn and his sister, Aria, take shelter on a remote island. They discover the parcel contains a relic belonging to a long-forgotten people. Locked inside are powers which will change their lives, and the world, forever.

As Finn realizes his connection to the relic, a vision strikes him - but what does it mean? Who should they trust? And if they decide to follow their hearts rather than their orders, will they manage to deliver the relic in one piece?

Chased across the seas as they try to solve the mysteries within the parcel, the fate of this ancient people depends on them. Finn and Aria must choose between what is right and what is easy - and time is running out....

©2018 Lexi Rees (P)2019 Lexi Rees

Critic reviews

"A thrilling and magical adventure with plenty of hair-raising chases and a villain readers will love to hate. Eternal Seas is a must-read for young fantasy fans.” (Madeline Dyer, author of the Untamed series)

“Eternal Seas is a compelling adventure that weaves mystery and intrigue into a tantalising plot for the reader to enjoy. The writing has a lyrical quality and almost seems to capture the movement of the sea as the story unfolds. A very enjoyable read.” (Jude Lennon, author of Hal and the End Street, the Lamby series and other children’s books)

“An exciting debut novel that takes us on a roller coaster adventure ride over high seas to mysterious places and brims with magic and intrigue. Young readers will love this book.” (Shalbey Bellaman, author of Dragons in the Looking Glass and Jack in the Wallows)

Good start to a kids adventure story

This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would listen to another. I’m curious where this storyline will go. It is a great story for kids - I’d guess ages 10 and up.
There were once magical people of earth, fire, air and water. After a war, in which the Earth Lords won, the other clans have a guardian to protect each of the relics they have imbued with their clan’s magic. The Leader of Earth Lords wants to find and destroy all relics so he may reign over all and magic will be gone forever.

Travelling with their Dad on their smuggler’s ship, they are headed on a dangerous route to pick up an unknown parcel and deliver it. Finn and Aria find themselves separated from the ship and find a remote island and a relic. They are strong kids, each pulling their own weight to try to protect the relic they’ve found. They are being chased by ones who want to take the relic, the kids want to deliver it to the people who deserve to have it. Problem is determining who that is. Along the way they learn more about themselves and their connection to the relic.

This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Christopher Dickinson) and I would gladly listen to another. He does a fabulous job narrating this book. His voice acting and pace is excellent, voices are distinct and varied. I got drawn into the story right away.

There are no explicit sex scenes, excessive violence or swearing.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.

Fantasy, Magic & Mystery

My 14-year-old son read this one with me and really loved it. The action starts pretty quick in the first 5-10 mins and made it a hard book to pause or put down. It reminded him of the Amulet series mixed with Percy Jackson. We're pretty big fans of fantasy books and this was definitely a really fun one. It is a story about 12 and 10 year-old kids on an adventure to protect and bring back the magic. The story is a clean one (free of bad language and graphic violence) and I can see 2nd-3rd graders and up thoroughly enjoying this book. The narration was great. We loved the English accent, and he did a wonderful job with the voices and acting throughout the book.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Loved it!

Title: Eternal Seas
Author: Lexi Rees
Release Date: September 9th, 2020
Page Count: 117
Start Date: January 1st, 2022
Finish Date: January 1st, 2022

Review:

Story: I really enjoyed this story. It was a very quick read. Personally, I would have liked to see it longer. However, I do understand that this is a children's book. It's understandably short. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Characters: I got a little confused with all of the character names. I also didn't really connect with any of them if I'm being honest. That isn't to say that I didn't like them. I just didn't find them very relatable to me. I also feel like a few of the characters were just a little two-dimensional.
Critiques: None
Narration: It was pretty great. Nothing really memorable stands out to me either good or bad.
Final Thoughts: I wasn't expecting to really get sucked into this book the way I did. I really enjoyed it very much. I don't know when I'll be able to get to the rest of the series. I am definitely looking forward to it though.

Fun Kids' Adventure

What a delightful kids’s story! It’s very fast-paced and suitable for kids of all ages. There’s high seas adventures set in a future world where we still have GPS tracking but also magic. Well, the magic was hunted down & squelched a generation or two ago by Waldred. Yet the clans did their best to hide the next generation of magic users, even keeping it from the kids themselves. Now Finn (12) and his little sister Aria (10) are caught up in this re-emerging magic. They are on a quest! They must find the relics for each magic type.

There’s little smidges of mythology woven into the story and I loved that it jumped around the world. Also, the cast of characters sounds like an SCA Shire – Finn, Aria, Pippin, Morgan, Massana, Isoulda, Waldred, Cullen, Ragnar, etc. I loved the eclectic nature of the characters. Traveling around on the Alcina, Finn & his family not only search for the relics but also try to save some family and friends.

Family connections are the supporting backbone for this story. Finn and Aria get along great and support each other in their efforts. Their dad Ragnar is also very supportive, though he also has to say No sometimes as the parent. Waldred is mostly this nebulous evil entity at this point in the series. Pippin is perhaps Aria’s age and joins the crew later in the book. Massana (spelling?) joins as a mystic guide of sorts. She’s key in helping Finn discover his magical abilities. The story ends on a bit of cliffhanger though, so be ready to pick up the next book. 4.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Christopher Dickins was a good pick for this book. He had a great voice for the kids, as well as female voices. He threw in a variety of accents too which helped keep every voice distinct. My one issue is that the name Massana was pronounced a few different ways throughout the book – Messada? Lessana? I’m still not sure which one is right. The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 4.5/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book. My opinions are 100% my own.

Great story

My little girl and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Listening to it with her was great fun.

This book series needs to be made into a movie...

Eternal Seas, The Relic Hunters Book 1 by Lexi Rees was excellent! I finished this last night and I have to say that I really didn't want it to end and have already checked Audible to see if the second one is on there yet (it isn't as of August 2019). Ms. Rees has crafted a super fun and entertaining YA series that is safe to listen to for younger listeners and is enjoyable for adults as well.

Finn, his sister Aria, their father and a few other great characters star in this adventure which introduces you to a magical world with relics to retrieve and give to the elders before the wrong people get their hands on them to destroy them and keep the magic from ever coming back to the world. It's such a fun adventure and I cannot wait to listen to the rest of the series!

Christopher Dickins did a fabulous job narrating Eternal Seas. His English accent fit perfectly with the story and the various voices that he used for the characters really helped me envision each person and scene as if it were a movie. I really enjoyed his narration and hope to listen to more in the future. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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A Magical Adventure for Mid Grade Readers

A long time ago, people had magical powers over the elements. But the clan elders decided to keep them safe and locked the powers away in relics. Now the world has changed and people know of magic only from stories. Finn and his family are smugglers and have been giving the task of retrieving a package. A problem arises when they open the package and learn that it is the relic that holds the water tamers magic.

Finn’s family sets out to take the relic to the elders, where the magic can be released. But their enemies are many and are chasing them to get their hands on the relic. If they can destroy the relic the sea tamer magic will be destroyed forever.

Finn and his family make a living smuggling items for clients. They have been trying to keep things going since they lost mother a while ago. But a strange package they pickup is messing with Finn. On the way to deliver it they find themselves on a strange island and learn that the package actually holds the water tamer relic. They also learn that their mother is still alive and being held hostage for the relic. But if they turn over the relic it will surly get destroyed.

This is a great story filled with action, adventure, an evil Lord, and magic. I was quickly sucked into the story and couldn’t get back to the audiobook fast enough. Christopher Dickins does a fantastic job narrating this book.

I loved this story and can’t wait to get into the next book, Wild Sky.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to listen to and post an honest review.

Great characters and world

As an adult I could easily get into this audio book and I really enjoyed it. I found the characters interesting and was right along for the ride with the main protagonist. I found him likeable and relatable. The book is full of action, adventure and twists, so there's never a dull moment.

The narrator does a great job too.

I received a free copy of this book for a review, but I enjoyed it lots :)

great road trip read

Great story, complete Characters, and a cool plot. The sibling banter between the lead character and his little sister made the book for me. I am a sucker for siblings supporting siblings, working together to protect their family. The book is a quick, easy read, and, in my opinion, a great road trip read!!!

A great adventure

Original plot, awesome story full of adventure and magic, and wonderful characters. This is the first book of a series, and there is a cliffhanger. I received a free review copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.