Glimpse: The Broken by Nicholas Martellacci (book club recommendations txt) 📕

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Glimpse: The Broken - Synopsis.

...It is said long ago that there existed a lone singularity, the Eternal Mirror. Within this mirror existed everything that ever is and everything that ever was. All was unified until one day an inexplicable event we have now begun to call “the big bang” caused the mirror to shatter. That such occurrence caused its contents to spew forth, splitting the very fabrics of time and space themselves. Now there are realities that run parallel to ours, “realms” they have come to be known as over time. All that you have ever seen, ever heard, ever loved or ever learned lies within one such realm.

...But there were other realms out there, lying in wait for us to discover them, and discover them we did. Mankind quickly discovered gemstones called shards, each a conduit, holding the power to siphon energy from their respective realm, drawing creatures from them to do their bidding. Some of the creatures were easily manipulated and studied, but within the realms also await beings of unfathomable power...

...Demons of eternal darkness

...Fae of unprecedented beauty

...Beasts and machinations the likes of which one could never imagine.

After terrible wars were fought over the shards killing many conjurers, mankind decided to split into the twelve conjuring factions, each with their own realm to study. They formed treaties to study their realms in private, never making themselves present to the common folk.

We follow the story of the young Maxwell Amelletti, your average young man trying to get by in the world as he traverses the unstable current from adolescence to adulthood. Maxwell has never felt truly at home with his adoptive parents, and is unsure how to feel to be on his own. He feels lonely and confused in his new apartment, wanting nothing more than to learn who he truly is, and where he came from.

It is at this pivotal time in his life, he receives a strange package at his adoptive parent’s house. This box bears no return address, and is signed by the mysterious L. Within this package is a necklace, bearing one such shard that Maxwell accidentally uses against another in a way that is rather... gruesome. This shard has the potential to conjure creatures from the realm of Vallust, a realm of both volcanic wasteland, and tundral paradise.

In the book, you discover -L- is short for Lysander Vartell, Maxwell’s true father, and Sovereign to the Omegas, the most powerful of the twelve conjuring factions.

...Or at least it was. For as long as anyone can remember, there had been peace between the factions, until the Omegas were attacked, and Lysander was killed as his faction was almost completely erased. Maxwell is approached by Taya Cyndell, and Mordecai Smith, two of the three still loyal to the Omega’s way of life. They try to convince him to help them discover who is behind the attack, offering nothing in return but protection and answers for the questions Maxwell has about his own existence. So long as he is able to bring his most trusted friends along for the journey, he assumes he has nothing to lose.

...He could not be more wrong.

Using the shard of Vallust, Maxwell embarks on the journey to find and stop the group responsible for the attack on the Omegas. He and his friends utilize their individual talents, and with the help of Taya and Mordecai sculpt themselves into a new team… a new faction, “The Broken.” Filled with creatures of all shapes and sizes, magicks and combat aplenty, and powers beyond comprehension.

Glimpse: The Broken is the first of the series of books that follows Maxwell’s journey into his new role as the Sovereign to this new faction, built out of diversity and necessity, discovering both who he is… and where he truly belongs.

“What do you mean how is my day going?!” Maxwell asked Jaxon, angry at his friend’s lack of concern. “I just damn near got my teeth kicked in by a steel toed boot, how do you think it is going?” Jaxon smiled his all too familiar toothy grin, letting out a chuckle. “It's called sarcasm, Maxy,” Jaxon replied. Maxwell’s brow furrowed as he looked to his snickering friend. Once again, as was commonly the case, Jaxon found humor where none should be present. “Well now is clearly not the time for it. Why did I ever expect you to be serious about this situation anyw- ouch not so tight!” Maxwell shreiked whilst Faelynn, Jaxon's girlfriend, continued wrapping his left eye with a bandage.

“Last I checked you came to my place to cry and let your feelings out, because you got your ass kicked,” Jaxon commented. “Feel free to enjoy the bonus sarcasm.” Maxwell’s face shriveled with irritation. “I didn't even throw a punch back, hardly a fair fight.” He winced with pain while Faelynn continued the wrapping. “Will you calm down with the vice grip of death already?!” Maxwell shrieked as Faelynn finally finished, clipping the bandage’s end with scissors. “All done miss Nancy, you can stop crying now,” Faelynn giggled. “So explain to me how it all went down again.”

Maxwell began recalling the story, “He was just being his usual drunk, asshole self. I ignored him at first… but as he usually does with time, he got louder and less bearable. So, eventually I decided to leave. I brushed passed him to walk out onto the porch, and he started mouthing off and swearing at me.” Faelynn nodded her understanding, showing much more compassion than Maxwell’s lifelong friend, Jaxon. “I spit on his shoes that were laying outside the door, at which point he followed me out, grabbed me, turned me around and hit me. I was just lucky I rolled out of the way of his boot and made it to my car in time.”

“At least you have a car and didn't lose your license in a DUI like he did, why does your mother put up with that asshole anyway,” inquired Faelynn. “Better question, why don't you put your fist through his skull like we all know you want to,” Jaxon asked, his eyebrow raised as he observed his friend’s face. Maxwell shrugged as he pressed his hand over his eye bandage. He winced with pain. “I couldn't do that to my mother, besides his disability money pays half of the rent or some shit, as least that's what she says,” Maxwell spoke through an unmistakable gloom. “Though it's hard to believe that he has enough money to buy a marble after his drinking habit.”

Jaxon looked angrily into his long time friend’s remaining, good eye. “Look man, I don't like it, and if this keeps happening and you don't do something about it, I will,” Jaxon replied, his voice thick with the weight of promise. Maxwell Amelletti and Jaxon Davio had been friends for as long as anyone could remember. They frequently call each other brothers to people they meet, and this point they were pretty much were. It was apparent to anyone that they were in no way related however. Maxwell having rutty caramel hair and blue eyes, and a shorter bulky stature. Maxwell wasn't entirely sure of his heritage, as all he had to go on was what he learned in school and from the internet. With his sharp square jaw, and high cheekbones, he shared the facial features of the French or even the Welsh, but he would never be sure, and that was disheartening.

This was a striking contrast to the tan skinned, and dark haired Italian family Maxwell was adopted by, the Amelletti’s. When Maxwell moved to this town he and Jaxon hit it off immediately. They were both nerds, and they both loved getting into trouble. Jaxon Davio was a head taller, with a rounder belly and long shaggy dark hair to his shoulders complimented with a big goofy grin almost always plastered on his face. Faelynn Lemore and Jaxon had just started dating the previous year. It did Maxwell's heart well to see that she fit in with the gang so well, and of course to see his best friend happy. Though he knew very little about her, she seemed like she had a kind heart and good intentions for his long time brother.

“It's a hard situation man, not everything is so black and white. I mean if I fight him, and he leaves my mom, then what will happen to the house… or her for that matter?” Maxwell asked his best friend. Faelynn looked to his eyepatch with sorrow never more obvious across her face. “I thought she isn't even your real mom,” Faelynn said, covering her mouth immediately. “She isn't he’s adopted,” Jaxon stated quickly, replying faster than Maxwell could blink. “I told you this already, remember?” His eyes were like daggers, staring intently at the girl. “Relax Jax, it doesn't offend me like it used to,” stated Maxwell nonchalantly. “Yeah Faelynn, I am adopted. Lucille isn’t my real mother, and my dad… well the dad I have always known died of cancer last year,” Maxwell remarked, upset. Faelynn held a hand to her mouth, “Oh my god! I am so sorry, I didn't mean...”

“Don't be Faelynn, it's okay…” Maxwellbegan, “I just wish my mom wasn't so quick try to fill his shoes. I already told her I would pay half the rent, and help her with some utilities to get her on her feet. My brother definitely wouldn't mind helping her out here and there either. He may not be as well off as I am right now, having a daughter and all, but he hates her being in this situation just as much. Dad was a great man, the guy taught me everything I know,” Maxwell said with a smile. “Which isn't much,” Jaxon bellowed jokingly, with a laugh and a smack on Maxwell's back.

“What happened!?” Came a shocked yell from Maxwell's side. Out of the corner of his eye Maxwell saw the girl and was able to put a name to the voice. Not that it mattered… he would recognize that voice anywhere. It was the voice that filled his head for every daydream he has had for years. It was