The Unblessed Dead

The Hidden Necromancer Series, Book 1

By: Rhiannon Frater

Narrated by: Laura Bannister

When I was younger, my mother saved my settlement from the unblessed dead that would have killed us all. It cost her everything to reveal her necromancy and sent shockwaves through our stringent religious settlement. Convicted of heresy against our sacred lost texts, she died soon after.

Since then, I have worked hard to maintain my pious standing so that when I turn 18 I will be selected by a suitable husband at the bridal auction.

As the large clock in town square ticks down to my 18th birthday, the dead have been appearing in my garden. If I’m discovered, I’ll face the necromancer trial just as my mother, oldest sister, and I did all those years ago. This time I fear I will not survive it.

To add to my worries, an enigmatic handsome young man has arrived in the settlement. Around him swirls a green aura only I can see. Is he here to help me? Or does he have more nefarious plans?

My name is Ilyse Nott, and I fear I am a necromancer.

If I am, my life is over.

©2017 Rhiannon Frater (P)2019 Rhiannon Frater

You can not go wrong with this author!

I have more than a few books from this this author the story's are always amazing. Rhiannon Frater is one of the authors that I
check their book list weekly for new releases. The Unblessed Dead is An amazing twist on the Zombie genre but it's way more than just a Zombie story. Give this book a chance you will not regret it, the only problem is you will want more and more. The world was painted so richly as were the characters. As I am writing this i am downloading the second book to my phone. It's beyond that good.

Zombie Apocalypsa

Zombies, religious cult and mandatory marriage or indentured servitude. I really do not want to live in this future. Well developed story that leaves you wanting book two. Th narrator did a good job in bringing the characters to life. If you are a fan of either post apocalyptic or anti tech religions I highly recommend this book.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Unique twist to the Zombie genre, Necromancers!!!

I have to be honest, I struggled through the first hour, not sure about continuing the book. I thought about it a while and realized it had nothing to do with the book itself but the slow and almost tiresome pace of the narrator.

I am so very glad I stuck with this book as the narration began to improve or maybe I just got used to the tone and pace of the narrator. Set in a very unique future, centuries after the zombie apocalypse and amongst religious zealots who fear necromancy. By the end of the book I couldn't wait to get my hands on the next chapter in this excellent story of one girl's struggles with the confusion surrounding coming of age, the fear for herself, her sister and what the future brings.

I definitely would not hesitate to recommend this book, I hope you love it as much as I did.

New to me author

Rhiannon Frater was a new to me author so I wasn't sure what to expect. I really enjoyed this book. She had me very interested in these characters and what would happen to them. I can be tough on narrators. but, I think Laura Bannister did a good job on this book. I look forward to the next book in this series. I will also be checking out more of her work.
I was given this title for an honest review. ( I would have been honest if I didn't like it....but, I really did! :)

Pulls You In

This is a book that pulls you in the more you listen to it.

I liked that this book had a different type of story that involved pious women and the cult like worship. The character interaction was engaging and I liked that there were twists to the story involving necromancy.

When the book ended it left me wanting to know what happens next!

Utterly Fulfilling & Enjoyable!

Wow, just wow. This one grabs your attention from chapter 1 and keeps it, ramping up the tension and anxiety to the end. I freakin' loved this book. The Knott family was so dear to me, a family to love. A family with a hard-working father with such devotion to the Lost Texts that he injures his family. The children are so special. I adored Illyse and the innocent and earnest proclamations of her faith and commitment to the Lost Texts. Though her faith was misguided, it was beautiful to behold that much faithfulness and it was precious to see her eyes open to the grave errors of what she was taught. The danger looming over her had me white-knuckling through so much of this incredible book. Her sister was so bright, so faithful and spunky; I wanted to reach into the book and hug her. Their brother was a hidden gem, full of intelligence and devotion that was underestimated and beautifully revealed as he rose to the challenge to protect his sister. Characters within this book, major and minor, are natural and so believable, protagonists and antagonists, alike. This is not a traditional zombie book, but rather, a book about a town filled with people who cling to their faith and traditions and those who suffer from that misguided faith. Zombies are crucial to the story but this is not a typical zombie book, not in any way.

The excellence of the story is matched by a masterful narration performance. I am so glad that I was given this audiobook upon my request in exchange for a review. I loved it. This one is well worth a credit.

original zombie story without focus on the zombies

This is the first book I’ve read/listened to by this author and I would jump at the chance to listen to another.
I didn’t want the story to be over. I’ve listened to a lot of zombie stories and this is a very original one. I love the addition of the special abilities (necromancy) and their religious beliefs surrounding them. The social structure is interesting- religious based beliefs dictate life, girls can’t speak to men outside their family circle, girls are auctioned off once of age, education is limited, they’re aware of other social structures and technology but theirs is limited.

This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Laura Bannister) and I would gladly listen to another. She has great character voices. Her soft voice gives an appropriately ominous feel to story. I hope she reads the rest of this series. Her narration helped me get immersed in the story because I was able to forget I was being read to.

There are no explicit sex scenes, or excessive violence. There is the very occasional swearing but it is integral to certain scenarios.

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.

Interesting and thought provoking

Great read. Recommended to those who enjoy a different kind of zombie story with a rich atmosphere.

Extremely suprising! This book is a hidden gem!

First off, I would like to say, as a fan of the author, I just knew I would be in for quite a ride. No disappointment here! The heroine is innocent and humble but very likable. Due to a series of unfortunate events, which surrounds her family, she is exposed and thrusted into a world of lies, the dead, truths, and necromancy! I did not mean to get so emotionally involved in the story, but I am! I cannot wait to start the second book!
Serious shout out to the narrator! She brought such gentle drama to the characters with her soft voice. Completely understood the world of the "Believers" . Wonderful read/listen! Definitely recommend this to others!

Unblessed Dead

Mrs. Frater is a one of a kind author. I absolutely love her work. This book is not your typical zombie story. The story is rich with intrigue and leaves me wondering what is going to happen next. I found the narrator's voice to be pleasant and in my mind accurately portrayed Elise and how I pictured her to sound. Highly recommend to all zombie lovers.