A Turn of Light

Hello readers!

It has been a while since my last post! Wow! I haven't posted since last year ;-) (har har). The past few weeks have been a little hectic getting adjusted to no longer having the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season (sniff) and becoming resigned to the fact that I now have to face the coming winter with no color at all. Okay, that might be a little overdramatic, but that's just how I feel after leaving December behind!

Well, I did manage to escape a little of the dreariness by reading (what else?) I had found a book toward the end of fall semester that looked interesting and was not in a section I typically look in: Sci-Fi/Fantasy. I know, I know, you're probably thinking "but you've said you love fantasy, why do you not look in this section all the time?" Well, here's my answer: I typically find the authors that I like in the Christian Fiction section, through recommendations and loans by friends, browsing the teen fiction section (yes, I know it's not what you'd expect, but there are a few gems hidden among all the cheesy, eye-roll worthy romance novels), or a combination of all three. But, I was killing time in a bookstore (which shall remain nameless but I will say it shares names with two popular characters on screen for Marvel fans and Whovians) with my sweetheart, just browsing and not willing to end our night out before he took me home. And so I ended up in the Fantasy section of this bookstore. About a year ago, he had gotten me into Ender's Game, which is a good story. Well, I was looking to see if there were anymore books in that series on the shelf, along with Neil Gaiman, who has also written a book I am quite fond of as you can find out about in one of my earlier posts. On the same shelf unit, I spotted a title that looked rather interesting. So I picked it up and added it to the stack (I always carry around a stack that I end up placing back on the shelves because the practical side of me says that I can't have them, I don't like that side of me). Eventually, I chose this book over Neil Gaiman. Here is the title of the book that so intrigued me: A Turn of Light. Sound familiar? It should; it's the title of this post ;-)  So, I brought it home, let the boy borrow it since I was already in the middle of a book and finishing up the semester so I didn't need that kind of commitment. Eventually I got it back and was able to read this amazing story. So, let me see if I can sum it up in such a manner as to pique your interest as it did mine.

A Turn of Light

This book opens up with a girl of 18 sitting out in a meadow, talking with her invisible friend. The girl's name is Jenn, and her friend's name is Wisp. You know that everything is not as it seems by the end of the first chapter, with Wisp talking to his own friends. I won't reveal what was said, you'll have to read that for yourself ;-) But back to Jenn. She is just days away from her 19th birthday, the day on which she will be able to do what she wishes with her life, but the same day that her father wishes to see her settled down with a young man. All Jenn wants to do is to get out of Marrowdell and see the world. Only she can't, for two reasons, one which she knows all too well, and the other which she has no idea. The first is because her father and aunt want to see her marry a young man from Marrowdell and settle there where she grew up. After all, that's what any respectable young girl would do. The second reason, though, is far more dangerous. If Jenn were to leave Marrowdell, she would die and the entire world be thrown into chaos. Why would such a simple girl have such an effect on such a big place? For one simple fact: Jenn is turnborn which means she was born during a turn, or sunset in her world, at the very border between the world of Jenn Nalynn and the world of Wisp, who is not of her world. All of this Jenn is unaware of, running about Marrowdell like the country girl she is, full of dreams and hopes and wishes. Marrowdell itself is a special place. Being on the edge of two worlds, it holds magic and mystery unknown anywhere else in the world, but only those who know what to look for can recognize it. I won't go into detail about the magic, again you'll have to read about it for yourself, but that does bring in a good place to introduce two more characters who have big roles in the story.

Bannan Larmensu and his friend Tir are on their way north toward Marrowdell, bringing everything they need to start new lives. Bannan signed the settlers' pact, which allotted him land in the north wherever he wanted, and is searching for his destination. Tir is just being a loyal friend and former colleague and is tagging along to make sure his friend does not hurt himself. Why would this be a good place to introduce these two characters? Because Bannan is a truthseer, which means he can tell if someone is telling the truth and can also see things for what they truly are, even if they are cloaked by magic. Why is he significant to the the story? Because he eventually is able to see Marrowdell for what it truly is, a place of magic and danger, mystery and intrigue. But he decides to stay for many reasons, not the least of which is the lovely Jenn Nalynn. And so his part in this story sets itself up... or does it?

On to the story. This whole story is just one event after another. Yes, all stories are like this, but in this particular story, it seems, every small action is instrumental in setting up yet another event. Both Jenn and her sister Peggs are engaged, and the events surrounding those happenings are quite interesting. Jenn unwittingly uses true magic and sets the stage for a good part of the story. It isn't until a little past the middle of the book that she learns who she truly is and what she can do. But, I won't spoil it for you. You'll just have to read the book and find out for yourself ;-) I will say this about the ending of the book though, it does not end the way you think it might. At least, I didn't expect this ending.

So now time for my opinion of the book. Overall, it was a great read. I would definitely read it again, just when I actually have the time to focus on the book and not have to put it down every few pages. You know those books where a) you have to stay focused and not get distracted from it in order to really follow what is going on, and/or b) you have to put it down every few pages in order to stay sane because there is so much information at one time? This is that type of book, both a and b. Great story, I love the characters and their adventures. It just seemed to drag in places. It's definitely not for the casual reader, I'll give it that. But now that I've read it, I want to go back and read it once more and see what details I may have missed. And now I pass it on to you. Go, read it, and tell me what you think about it!

And in other exciting news, Ms. Czerneda has announced that she is writing a sequel to this book, so I'm looking forward to seeing where she takes the story.

That's all for now. Go find an adventure!

Happy reading!

Revisiting Old Friends

Hello readers!

As the summer is drawing to a close (sniff), it is time to start thinking about school, cold days ahead, actual responsibilities, and all that fun stuff. This weekend I took the time to revisit some old friends of mine to help me ease back into the regular swing of things.

Several years ago I found an author who goes by the name of Donita K Paul. Perhaps you have heard of her, perhaps you haven't. In case you haven't, you should check out some of her books. I definitely recommend the Dragonkeeper Chronicles, which just so happens to be the series I started to revisit this weekend. ;-)

I'll try not to spoil the books too much for you ;-) The story line of this series follows a young girl (well, she's a teenager at the beginning of the story) named Kale who finds out that she is destined to be a mighty dragonkeeper of Amara. She also happens to be a village slave and an orphan who does not know who her parents are or even that she has any special powers at all. She thinks she is a simple village slave and will continue to be the rest of her life. Until one day she finds her first dragon egg. As soon as her fingers touch the hard shell, her life is changed forever. She is sent by the village elders to a place called The Hall in the capital city of Amara, Vendela. Just before she reaches her destination, though, she is swept off onto a whirlwind quest. Her companions are an emerlindian (the equivalent of an elf of the Tolkien variety, with a few differences) and a doneel (the picture I always have in my mind is a three foot tall terrier-like man in flamboyant, bright clothing). These two are in service to Paladin, the good leader of Amara, and Wulder, the deity. Their quest is to bring back a rare, special dragon egg, a meech egg to be exact, from Risto, the evil wizard who wants to overthrow Paladin.

And so, Kale's new life begins. Little did she know just what a small dragon egg could do. And that is just the first book! Throughout the last four books, she and her companions go on even grander adventures and make new friends. They battle Risto and his cronies countless times, Kale ends up with dozens of small dragons buzzing around her head (okay maybe not dozens, but she does end up with quite a few), and in the end save the day. And, whilst reading these stories, you can find delicious recipes to try while engrossed in these adventures ;-)

That's all for today. I know, it was a short post. But, I am in the process of revisiting this series, so once I finish reading it again I will write a little more when it is all fresh on my mind. Or who knows, I might write about each book as I read it. You never know what I'll write about. So check back soon!

Who are some authors you would recommend that maybe very few people have heard of? Let me know in the comments. :-)

Happy reading!

The Last Goodbye

Hello readers.

Last time I posted, I told you that I was about to embark on a final journey in my favorite story world. Well, I did, and let me tell you my face was not as dry when I finished as when I started. To say the very least, it was a beautiful, emotional journey that took me places I never thought I would go, experience things I have never experienced before, and said goodbyes I hoped I would never have to say. And yet, I did. In my last post I gave you a little bit of history about the story world, and my emotional attachment, at least the best I could describe it in words on a screen. In a nutshell, saying this last goodbye was as hard as I thought it would be. Some of you may have already guessed at the inspiration for the title of this post. If you haven't then click on the link I will give and you will see what I am talking about. This song ran through my head as I was thinking about writing this post and saying one Last Goodbye to the characters and story world I have grown to love. So get comfortable, grab a tissue if you are the sympathetic type, and prepare for an emotional venting.

Omega Dragon is the name of this book, the book to end all books (okay, that's a little melodramatic, but work with me here ;-) ). As you can probably tell from the title, this story is truly the end of the story world as I and many other readers have known it for the past decade. The book before this one, The Seventh Door, as I mentioned in my last post, brought all of the characters to the beginning of the climax, the beginning of the end. One was literally at death's door, another was waiting to be regenerated into a new body, still others were making the journey to find their loved ones and save those who could not defend themselves.

From the first page of Omega Dragon (I'll call it Omega for short) I was taken on a whirlwind adventure following these characters who I have come to call friends, following them on their journey to save the world and those who are precious to them. As I have come to expect from these characters, there was a tremendous amount of sacrifice, both of blood and happiness, in order to save innocents. Some of these sacrifices were shocking and unexpected, even though there were hints throughout the book pointing the astute reader toward the inevitable. One in particular moved me to shed more than a few tears; I had rooted for and supported (as well as I could) the characters involved in this sacrifice, this giving up of life, since the first time I read their names on the page. Even here at the end, I met new friends and watched them sacrifice themselves for people they knew only for a few short hours. Their sacrifices moved me to see the beauty of selfless giving for those who cannot give of themselves.

I am still struggling to find the words to describe my feelings for this bittersweet ending. It seemed to move so quickly once the setting was established. I found myself losing sense of reality and allowing myself to be drawn into the world that I have come to know and love. I don't think you could have pulled me out of it very easily.

I would give a synopsis of the story, but I'm not quite sure how I would do that and not give spoilers at the same time. I think it goes without saying that the previous books have led up to this climactic battle waged literally between good and evil, Heaven and Hell. The events which took place within the pages of Omega had me in near shock as I tried to take it all in. All of the characters eventually find their way to the sight of this great battle, and to each other as well. I won't specify the names, but two of the bravest characters in this story world, with their fiery faith and loving hearts, put their strength together to help win the day for the forces of good. The ultimate weapon for the same side is finally revealed and swoops in just in time to win the battle. And the ending. Oh, the ending. There are not words enough to describe just how wonderful and beautiful it was. I'll venture to say that it was even more beautiful than the ending to the previous series, and if you know me that is saying something! Again, I'll try not to spoil the story for you. I can say that our characters are reunited with dearly departed loved ones and do not have to say goodbye anymore. All my friends are living in bliss, some more literally than others, and they are living their true happy ending. As a little bit of a spoiler, one of the couples in the story finally have one of their deepest desires fulfilled. I'll not say what it is exactly, but the two mentioned it in one of the earlier books. Another romance, that has been hinted at since the second book, is finally realized and is brought to fruition. Another is reunited with their life partner without fear of losing them again.

Overall, a very well written book and the perfect end to an amazing story. Oh the emotions I experienced while reading this! If only there were words to describe. I can say that I shed more tears while reading this one ending than I did any of the other eleven books. I'm still finding it hard to believe that it is actually over, done with, that I will not read a new line in that world again. That's a sobering thought by itself. But I cheer myself up by telling myself that it's not the complete end. I can still go back to the beginning and relive all the adventures. And I plan to do that as soon as I have the time.

Well, I suppose that wraps it up for now. I may come back and vent a little more emotion and thought on this book. I hope your interest in exploring a new series has been sparked. If so, then by all means go and find those books! If not, let me try again by telling you this joke about a fish who flopped up on a golf course one day...

If you have read the books, I want to know your thoughts and experiences! And to know just how many of us are out there ;-)

Happy reading!

A Wonderful Adventure

Hello readers!

In my last post, I hinted that I would be talking about a series which is my absolute favorite and is, sadly, coming to an end. If you have never heard of Bryan Davis, then I suggest you stop reading this post, and go find some of his stories to read. He is by far the best fantasy author I have read to date. But before I forget where I'm going with this, let me tell you about this particular series that has become my second home (for those of you who regularly escape to the worlds between pages, you know what I am talking about :-) ). I will be waxing poetic about this story, so there is a good chance this can get lengthy, so grab a mug of something hot to drink and get comfortable. Even so, I will do my best not to give any important spoilers. ;-)

This story actually takes place over the course of three different series, with four books each, but each series is a continuation of the last. The first series, Dragons in Our Midst, opens up with a young teen named Billy. He is your average teen living the life of a normal American high schooler: he has a best friend, he is picked on my the school bully, and is very talented. Only, his life is not very normal. He learns an age old secret that his parents, specifically his father, have kept from him. He discovers that he has an unusual trait that belongs to the descendants of a species long thought to be extinct: dragons. But, obviously, this race of creatures has indeed lived for centuries, since the days of Noah, in fact, and Billy's father is one of them, preserved in human form by the great wizard Merlin himself. There are only a few of the original dragons left alive, and an old enemy is still hot on their trail. The children of these dragons are called anthrozils, since they are part human and part dragon. Another anthrozil, named Bonnie, also a teenager, is searching for the son of the great dragon Clefspeare, following her mother's final request. Unlike Billy, she has known about her heritage most of her life. She has what she describes to others a deformity on her back. So as to not give spoilers, I won't tell you what the deformity is, but I will say it saves her life, and the lives of others, many times. Eventually, Billy and Bonnie meet, and together they fight off the dragon slayer. Throughout this first series they must join with friends, both old and new, family, and even a supercomputer to save the world from a powerful force that has been terrorizing the world since Creation. Their adventures take them everywhere from the foothills of West Virginia to the mountains of Montana to England to other dimensions. Together, this team of heroes must rely on each other, steel, dragon fire, and, most importantly, faith in order to forgive, heal wounds both on the heart and on the skin, and save the world and each other.

The second series, Oracles of Fire, actually begins centuries before Dragons in Our Midst. Eye of the Oracle, the first book in this series, introduces Mara, an underborn who has lived underground her entire life and is curious about the world; Acacia, Mara's twin sister; Elam, the son of Shem, who was taken from his family as a young child; and Mardon, an evil genius and the son of King Nimrod and Semiramis, a sorceress. This book begins in the days leading up to the great Flood of Noah. Morgan and her sister Naamah are scheming to gain passage on Noah's ark in order to survive the coming deluge and to complete the evil work set for them by Samyaza, a fallen angel and Morgan's husband. It is in this book that we are introduced to the first dragon, Arramos, and the two dragons chosen to sail on the ark with Noah, Makaidos and Thigocia. The story takes us throughout history from the days following the Flood and the fall of the Tower of Babel, to Joseph of Arimathea, to the days of King Arthur and Camelot, to the present day. Along the way, these new characters experience the changing of the times, Mara chooses a new name for herself and becomes Sapphira Adi, dragons find a new purpose, Elam realizes where he needs to be to fulfill his destiny; all of this comes together and brings us to the end of the book and the end of Dragons in Our Midst. From the second book onward, we see familiar faces mixing with new faces: Billy and a few of our friends meet Sapphira, Makaidos finds his long lost father in a new form, Bonnie is guided by the prophet Enoch to know where she should go, and all of our characters join forces in a place called Second Eden to battle Satan and his army from hell and keep them from penetrating Heaven's door. This adventure concludes with a climactic battle that quite literally leaves your heart pounding in your chest as if you are standing right there with Billy, Bonnie, Sapphira, and the others. And the ending is exactly as you would expect it to be, and all of our characters live happily ever after.

That is, until the third and final *sniff* series, Children of the Bard. Song of the Ovulum, the beginning of the end, is set fifteen years after Bones of Makaidos, the final book in Oracles of Fire and my favorite of the entire story world. Billy, Bonnie, and Ashley, another anthrozil, are imprisoned in a military compound; their children have been stripped from them and raised apart, never knowing their identity or heritage. Matt, their son, grew up in foster care, and has spent the last few years in military training; he also has unique traits. He is withdrawn from training by a stranger who seems to know everything there is to know about him, plus things that not even he knew. The stranger, who turns out to be Walter, his father's best friend, takes him on a mission to rescue his parents. Lauren, Matt's twin sister, was raised by loving foster parents; she, too has an unusual trait, one which gives the catty girls at her school ammunition to cruelly tease her. Her world is turned upside down when a demon named Tamiel kills her best friend and foster parents and sends her to places unknown. Before long she stumbles upon a military compound and two men, Walter and Matt. Together they stage a rescue mission to break the teens' parents and Walter's wife Ashley out of the compound. Along the way they meet a few unexpected allies, as well as a few enemies. They are successful in getting all three captives out, only to have Bonnie abducted by Tamiel, who then exploits her gentle and compassionate nature to force her to help him achieve his goal. Eventually she finds Matt and, with his help, heals the people of Second Eden. Lauren is reunited with her father and sets out with him to find her mother in Second Eden. Along the way, however, they are separated, and she alone can find Second Eden. She finds the portal only to find that a terrible disease has struck the former dragons, leaving them weak and threatening to kill them. They have been transported to Second Eden where they can receive as much care as is possible. A cure has been found but can only be administered with extreme heat, and the only source of heat that extreme is the volcano just outside the village. But, the only way this particular volcano will erupt is if someone falls into its mouth. Lauren knows what she must do, but before she gets a chance to carry out her sacrificial act, a Second Edener named Eagle takes her place and gives his life in place of hers. Lauren is left to flee the oncoming lava, and is saved in the nick of time by Walter and Ashley. In the end, the former dragons and Lauren are saved, Billy is captured by military thugs, and Matt and Bonnie are once again in the clutches of Tamiel, and are sent on a long journey with Matt's former foster sister Darcy to find seven keys. Each key is located at a "door", or a location that is permeated with evil. This journey is designed to kill Bonnie's salvation song, the song of the ovulum. They find all seven keys, but not without mishaps along the way. Bonnie is captured by Satan and forced to watch Matt struggle through one of the doors on his own, without her wisdom to guide him. However, through circumstances that are of the supernatural and are the culmination of faith, she is able to break her bonds and fly to meet Matt at the final door. It is while she is en route that she meets Lauren and Roxil, one of the dragons still in dragon form. Together they make their way toward the seventh door, where they find Billy, Walter, Ashley, Matt, Darcy, and Tamiel. All of our friends must face down the devil himself and try to save humanity. Despite their best efforts, a catastrophic force is unleashed, and Matt, Lauren, and Darcy are plunged into yet another adventure that will bring them even closer to the end of the world as they know it. The third book ends with our heroes preparing themselves for one final epic battle between the forces of good and evil.

I will have the final book in this amazing story world in my hands within the next few days. This will be the most emotional, heart pounding, gut wrenching adventure I have been on in this world. There are so many conflicting emotions that I cannot begin to describe exactly how I feel about it. The characters have been my friends throughout these eleven books, and it will be hard to let them go and to know there will be no new adventures to experience with them. All the same, I am anxiously awaiting this final chapter, the final showdown between the army of God, and the army of hell. It will be one of courage, faith, friendship, humility, and sacrifice. There will be no turning back. As dramatic as that sounds, it is true. Once I have read the final word in this book, and have had time to process the journey I will have completed, I will do my best to describe my thoughts and feelings about it. For now, though, go find a Bryan Davis book to read!

Whew. That has almost left me breathless. I told you it would be lengthy. ;-)   I can't really help it though, I absolutely love these books, and cannot say enough about them.

If you are familiar with Bryan Davis, I want to know your thoughts on his works. Let me know what they are in the comments! If not, I encourage you to check his books out and see if you like them or not.

I will be back in a few days writing about this new book, so check back soon!

Happy reading!