Assortment of top titles. Discover top titles, podcasts, and more on Audible. Try 30 days free.
To share your reaction on this item, open the Amazon app from the App Store or Google Play on your phone.

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Soul and the Seed: The Kyrennei Series Book One Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 47 ratings

The facade of freedom is a thinly veiled lie. In present-day America, a power cult can usurp your will and turn you against your friends and family.

Once—more than a thousand years ago—there were people who were immune to Addin control of hearts and minds. Legends around the globe still speak of them—slight people with pointed ears, now relegated to fantasy stories. Their true name has been forgotten.

They were the Kyrennei.

A prophecy says they will one day return, but the Addin vow to exterminate them. The Meikans, the descendants of human allies of the Kyrennei, yet exist, though they live under a tyrannical treaty with the Addin that has bought their survival at the cost of centuries of silence. Now those who have kept faith with the ancient gods for a millennium stand at the cusp of a new era--the time of the Seed.

It begins in a large round valley in the mountains of northeastern Oregon. One day Aranka Miko is a small-town student. The next, she's a prisoner, a reviled mutant and not even considered human.

At the same time, a young doctor code-named Kenyen fights with a band of international outlaws in a clandestine war with impossible odds. His mission is to infiltrate the Addin labs in Idaho where those who carry the genetic code of the Kyrennei are being studied... and murdered.

Kenyen is barely keeping his cover, when Aranka turns up in his lab. She is not like the other young people imprisoned there. For one thing, she can see that he isn’t Addin. A careless word from her could destroy the resistance and doom Kenyen’s soul. But she could also bring unimagined hope.

Can one girl hold “the seed,” the first flicker of hope in a millennium? Can she even survive one more day in the labs?

Cross urban fantasy with contemporary dystopia and you get The Soul and the Seed, the opening book of a new series that you can’t put down. It’s the story of a young woman who doesn’t fit the mold, a band of international freedom fighters in the heart of America and half-forgotten legends coming to life. Constant emotional tension and living, breathing characters make this an unforgettable saga.

The Soul and the Seed is the first book in The Kyrennei Series. The second book is The Fear and the Solace.

Shop this series

See full series
This option includes 6 books. See included books
Shop this series
There are 6 books in this series.
Bundle price: Kindle price
Bundle price: Kindle price
Bundle price: Kindle price
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

This option includes 3 books.

This option includes 5 books.

This option includes 6 books.

Something went wrong.
Bundle price: Kindle price
Bundle price: Kindle price
Bundle price: Kindle price
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This could be the next big thing!" - George Lederer, radio actor and school librarian "An extremely powerful book!" - Rosie Amber Book Blog

About the Author

Arie Farnam is a writer of all things intensely real, a war correspondent turned peace organizer, a gardening and wildcrafting herbalist, a legally blind bike rider, a tree-loving eclectic Pagan and an idealist with a practical streak. She grew up outside La Grande, Oregon and now lives in a small town near Prague in the Czech Republic.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00MQ99F0Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Arie Farnam; 1st edition (August 13, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 13, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1448 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 47 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Arie Farnam
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Arie Farnam grew up on Pumpkin Ridge, twenty miles north of La Grande, Oregon. She briefly attended La Grande High School as a freshman and later transferred to Spray High School in Central Oregon. She has been legally blind since birth and has always been interested in understanding how and why society accepts or rejects individuals.

When she was twenty two, she graduated from Lawrence University with a BA in Slavic linguistics and struck out for Eastern Europe to work as a freelance newspaper reporter. She received an equipment grant from the Oregon Commission for the Blind. Subsequently, she made a shoestring documentary with Afghani journalist Aref Jahesh in Kazakhstan and shot the film “Walls” with Dantia MacDonald and Mathew McClean in the Czech Republic, documenting that country’s racially segregated schools in the year 2000.

After writing about conflict and social justice issues for The Christian Science Monitor and Business Week in Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia and the Ukraine, she settled in the Czech Republic and married her long-suffering husband Dušan Blažek.

She has traveled and written in over thirty countries to date, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Ecuador as well of most of Central and Eastern Europe. She has also written extensively about the discrimination faced by the Romani people of Europe.

She now lives in Mnichovice, a small town outside Prague, where she is raising two children, writing like the world is on fire, concocting herbal medicines and trying to live on the earth in a sustainable way.

See more of Arie Farnam's writing at www.ariefarnam.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
47 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the storyline captivating and enjoyable. They describe the book as an engaging read with believable characters and a unique perspective. Readers appreciate the fast-paced, detailed narrative and visual style that keeps them hooked. The writing style is simple yet poignant, and the book provides insights into the human psyche.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

13 customers mention "Story quality"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the captivating storyline and premise. They find the book exciting, unique, and one-of-a-kind. Readers appreciate the fast-paced adventure with unexpected twists. The book offers an explanation for society's complacency in the face of real social issues.

"...I just can’t get over how compelling this story was! First off, I was utterly terrified throughout the entire first few chapters!..." Read more

"...However, the story itself is captivating enough to transcend my bias, and held me captive until the last page. Now I want to know what else happens!" Read more

"...of my favorite things about it is that the story offers an explanation for our society's vast complacency in the face of real social justice problems..." Read more

"...by working together....these are among the elements that make this story gripping and relevant, the characters personal and real...." Read more

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and enjoyable. They describe it as believable and one of the best indie books they've read. The story blends imagination and realism, making it a great work.

"...Everything about this book feels like something that could really happen at any given moment in time. (Or perhaps it already has!!!!)..." Read more

"...The characters are flawed, angst-ridden, and totally believable...." Read more

"...does a fine job of creating compelling characters and a believable world around them. I look forward to reading the rest of the series." Read more

"...The array of characters are a mix of imagination and realism. You soon find yourself rooting for the good guys and despising the bad guys...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They find the heroine relatable, with a unique personality and life experiences. The characters are described as three-dimensional and believable.

"...Jace was the perfect leader. Rugged and straight forward...." Read more

"...The main character is great - A lot of people have compared this book to YA fiction such as the Hunger Games and Divergent...." Read more

"...elements that make this story gripping and relevant, the characters personal and real. This book has all the elements...." Read more

"In The Soul and the Seed, Arie Farnam does a fine job of creating compelling characters and a believable world around them...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it straightforward with thorough details that aren't overwhelming. Readers appreciate the timely and classic elements of the plot, which is engaging and carefully laid out.

"...The writing was simple yet poignant. The details were thorough but not overwhelming...." Read more

"...This book has all the elements. It presents a dystopian, world-shattering vision while taking place in the recognizable here and now...." Read more

"...the plot is VERY engaging. it is both timely and classic. lovvvveeed it! you will too. p.s...." Read more

"Awesome and Fast-Paced book, can't wait to start the next one!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Visual style"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the visual style of the book engaging. They appreciate the subtle images and issues weaving throughout the suspenseful tale. The whimsy and brutality in the tale are also mentioned. Readers praise the dystopian vision presented in the world the author has created.

"...The world the author created was quite breathtaking and I truly admire all the hard work and research that went into making it authentic...." Read more

"...I grew up in Eastern Oregon and I loved the setting of the book and the descriptions of the Grande Ronde valley and the little roads on the..." Read more

"...This book has all the elements. It presents a dystopian, world-shattering vision while taking place in the recognizable here and now...." Read more

"...While there is whimsy and brutality in this tale, there is also bedrock belief in the value of human life in all its variety...." Read more

4 customers mention "Thought provoking"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and engaging. They appreciate the simple yet poignant writing style, new storylines, and relatable characters.

"...I am completely blown away. I haven’t read a book this thought-provoking, this unique, this captivating in quite some time!..." Read more

"...these are among the elements that make this story gripping and relevant, the characters personal and real. This book has all the elements...." Read more

"...me when authors come up with incredible story lines that are new and intriguing...." Read more

"...story that includes fantasy, political intrigue and insight to the human psyche! I love this book and am anxious to read the rest of the series!" Read more

3 customers mention "Strength"3 positive0 negative

Customers like the heroine's strength. They say Arie has created a strong, multi-faceted young heroine.

"...Jace was the perfect leader. Rugged and straight forward...." Read more

"...her specialness that she never knew about before, she is strong enough to stay in the fight and stand up for other people - and especially children..." Read more

"...Young Aranka is steadfast and powerful in the face of evil and the threat to her life, uncompromising in her demand for justice, respect and dignity..." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style simple yet poignant. They say the book engages readers seamlessly and effortlessly.

"...The writing was simple yet poignant. The details were thorough but not overwhelming...." Read more

"...It was well written, and I did rather enjoy the premise...." Read more

"...Their struggles are epic, yet individual and very familiar. Readers will be seamlessly, effortlessly involved...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2014
    Where do I even start? All I have to say is WOW! I am completely blown away. I haven’t read a book this thought-provoking, this unique, this captivating in quite some time!

    Aranka Miko is just your ordinary misfit living in La Grange, Oregon with her brother, Elias and her father, Adrian. One day she and a few other classmates are told they have contracted a mysterious illness and are abruptly carted off to the hospital and quarantined. When she finally pulls through the dreadful “infection” she is not the same. Her entire world has been turned upside down, and nothing about her life will ever be the same again.

    I just can’t get over how compelling this story was! First off, I was utterly terrified throughout the entire first few chapters! Like sitting at the edge of my seat, biting my nails, afraid to turn the lights off. It was just that good! And I pretty much stayed that way throughout the entire story. There were a few parts toward the middle that lagged a little bit (but by lagged I really mean they were just less exciting than other parts and the history these sections provided were honestly vital to the background of the story) and that is literally my only (minor) complaint about the entire novel. This story was so unique. It just felt so…real! And I think that’s what terrified me the most. Everything about this book feels like something that could really happen at any given moment in time. (Or perhaps it already has!!!!) And that is a very scary thought indeed!

    The author’s characterization was amazing! She crafted genuine, distinctive characters who made me feel every emotion! Aranka was just extraordinary! Both courageous and vulnerable. Resilient and fragile. Her journey throughout this book was truly awe-inspiring. Right before your eyes she grows from a weak, weary victim into a rebel! Someone willing to put themselves in danger’s way to fight for her people. I think what was most touching was just how much her fight to survive in both the beginning and the end of the novel truly mirrors the ever resilient human spirit.

    And Kenyen!! My heart bled for him. I still can’t imagine how he mustered up the strength to remain undercover in that lab day after day, knowing he would have to watch (and participate in) the horrible atrocities being inflicted upon the very people he wanted to protect! Will there be a love story in the future for him and Aranka? I'm not sure, but I really loved the chemistry and comradery between these two and I desperately hope for the development of something more!

    Jace was the perfect leader. Rugged and straight forward. I loved how the author illustrated the true bravery he showed by giving his entire life to fight the Addin cause, but at the same time highlighting the fact that most of his victories have been won by standing by and doing nothing. J. Company was a beautifully dysfunctional rag tag band of oddballs and I loved the bond they shared and that they represented a unique variety of cultures and ethnicities. Cho and Rick were some of my favorites!

    The world the author created was quite breathtaking and I truly admire all the hard work and research that went into making it authentic. The writing was simple yet poignant. The details were thorough but not overwhelming. I am waiting on bated breath for book two and I just can’t say enough good things about it. One of the best indie books I’ve read thus far! I don’t know why it isn’t sitting on the top of the best seller’s list, but I plan on spreading the word.

    This book is truly a must read!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2017
    As a writer, three things tend to make, or break, a book for me. As such, I focus my review on these elements. Occasionally, I find an author who captivates me despite something in the world building, character development, or pacing that doesn't quite work. This is one of those times.

    World Building

    Though the story is set in modern(ish) times, it is enough of an alternate world that some world building needed to be done for the story to make sense. With the story set in first person, the world building takes a while to develop enough to figure out what's going on. Especially with the protagonist caught up in events from the first page. There are multiple species (races?) that are in the mix, which muddles the world building even further, since they each have factions within the broader groups.

    Character Development

    This is heavily biased by personal choice in how a book is written. With as much going on as this book has, I had trouble getting to know the secondary cast of characters. The main character has trust issues (well developed and explained early on), which makes it harder to believe, or get to know the others who help form the story group.

    Also due to the first person perspective, the other characters didn't develop as much vibrancy as I think they could have. This is one of the downfalls of a first person perspective in writing. As such, there was a lot of potential that wound up getting lost through the main character's filter, which left many of the others feeling like holograms, or scenery, even when they had an important part to play. This is especially apparent in the latter part of the book when things become disjointed due to plans going awry.

    Pacing

    I'm inclined to think that the pacing in this book is a touch rushed throughout. This may be because of the first person perspective, I am not sure. With motivations being hidden, trying to judge what's rushed or not is a bit harder. There are a few places where things definitely lagged because of the perspective.

    Overall?

    If it appears I didn't like the book, that is completely wrong. It was well written, and I did rather enjoy the premise. I know I'm biased against first person perspective books - for most of the above noted reasons. However, the story itself is captivating enough to transcend my bias, and held me captive until the last page. Now I want to know what else happens!

Top reviews from other countries

  • ST
    3.0 out of 5 stars good original story then it started to go down hill
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 23, 2015
    Started off well, good original story then it started to go down hill. Couldn't actually bring myself to finish it. Maybe one day I'll pick it up and give it another go.
  • PGH
    2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2015
    This book is an exemplar of what annoys me about much current sci-fi which is why what would have been a 4 star review has been knocked down to a 2 star.

    The biggest sin is that it is incomplete. I appreciate that this is the first part of a series - I have no problem with that but there is no sense of the closing of any plot lines. All that was missing was a to be continued marker. Nothing was resolved.

    The next biggest problem I had was the YA approach. Actually not even YA. Except for the lengthy torture elements there is nothing offensive anywhere in the book. No bad language, no sex (even relationships between adults don't seem to exist) and the violence - apart from the torture - is barely described - yet the main plot line of a group of renegade outlaws fighting against s corrupted society seems to lack any sense of passion.

    On the upside, clever back story and a lot of thought in how the various hidden tribes of humans interact. Elements of Divergent and even The Chrysalids. Some good descriptive passages and clearly a lot of thought has gone into language and pronunciation to make the story work - if only there was a complete story.

    Some readers will clearly love this approach but it is a major disappointment to me and consequently I am unlikely to follow up with a Part 2 as I will no doubt be forced to read a Part 3 etc to get any sense of the story.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?