The Mountains Rise

Michael Manning

Jun 2014 · Embers of Illeniel Book 1 · Michael Manning

About this ebook

From the dark depths of the past, comes the tale of the first wizard of
Illeniel.  Daniel Tennick lived simply, a young shepherd with few
troubles and little to occupy his mind, until the warden appeared.
 Daniel’s power awakens, and he finds himself hunted by the servants of
the cruel and uncaring forest gods.  Trapped by his gift, Daniel will
uncover the secrets of the deep woods and those who live there, a
civilization created from the grave of an older one.  What he discovers
will light a vengeful flame within him, consuming everything he touches.

Ratings and reviews

DNF @ 42% due to controlling alien oppressors that evolve into ancient trees and all the crap about generic engineering. In high fantasy? Really?

Dark yet majestic. An amazingly good start to the prequel of the Mageborn series. Insightful in its revelations of the sometimes tragic events that drive the human psyche. Great tale!

I had spent a long time looking for a book look like this - a bittersweet tragedy of the story of a boy becoming a broken man through the knowledge of a terrible crime against his people. The concepts and plotlines are raw yet written with a profound honesty and a deep understanding of the characters and the world they live in. Would be thoroughly enjoyed by those who read Patrick Rothfuss

About the author

Michael Manning, a retired pharmacist, has been a fantasy and science-fiction reader for most of his life.  He has dabbled in software design, fantasy art, and is an avid tree climber.  He lives in Texas, with his stubborn wife, two kids, and a menagerie of fantastic creatures, including a moose-poodle, a vicious yorkie, and a giant prehistoric turtle.