Category Archives: Fantasy

Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi

Review: Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Nihal of the Land of the WindNihal of the Land of the Wind
Licia Troisi
Open Road Integrated Media
Published May 27, 2014

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Since she was a little girl, the only thing Nihal has wanted to be is a warrior. When a young sorcerer tricks her and wins her sword, Nihal begins to study magic for defense and healing purposes. Her instructor introduces her to a warrior who in turn begins to train Nihal and helps her gain entrance into the elite academy of warriors known as Dragon Riders.

Along the way Nihal discovers that she is the last of a once-great race of half-elves. The voices of her people and their cries for vengeance haunt her dreams. Nihal uses this fury and her iron will to bulldoze her way through training and into battle. When a mentor challenges her to leave her hate behind before entering the battlefield again, Nihal begins a new and unexpected journey, seeking life apart from her warrior identity. She must discover how to allow peace to transform her before she can return to war.

At first glance this story might seem like an echo of Christopher Paolini’s popular novel Eragon, but in fact it’s not. Though her dragon is a significant character, he appears for only a short part of the story, and it is not the instant bond one might expect it to be. Instead the relationship teaches Nihal about patience and compassion and that her strength of will alone won’t get her everything she wants.

Nihal is young and often focused on one goal to the exclusion of all else. Her friend Sennar sees her more clearly than she sees herself. Though their lives take them in very different directions, their closeness remains and even hints at possible romance (Troisi leaves readers in eager anticipation for a second book to explore this more fully.) Though there are some battle sequences, details are few and the story focuses more on Nihal’s journey to become a warrior, not only in training, but in heart as well. Readers who enjoy fantasy with emphasis on character development and relationships will enjoy this story.

Nihal of the Land of the Wind on AmazonLanguage Content
Mild profanity, infrequent usage.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Brief references to the lore and deities of the fantasy realm in which the story takes place.

Violence
Nihal goes into battle several times. No gory descriptions of battle wounds or death.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

One Realm Beyond
Donita K. Paul
Zondervan
Published January 28, 2014

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The day Cantor has been dreaming of has finally arrived: his mentors have released him to make the journey through a portal to a new realm and begin his training as a Realm Walker. A shape-shifting dragon and a wild-haired girl quickly join Cantor as they begin their first mission to free prisoners forced into military service. Though Cantor believes Realm Walkers should be just and good, he discovers many simply are not so. When he’s confronted with the depths of the depravity of those leading the Realm Walkers Guild, he cannot simply sit by while the corruption runs rampant, even if stopping them should cost his life.

While Cantor and Bixby are both fascinating and unique characters, the author’s prowess really shows in her creation of the dragon characters, Bridger and his sister Totobee-Rodolow, who put the fun and pizzazz in this tale. Though at first glance this may seem a heavy story for younger readers, Paul handles the battles and conflicts deftly, shielding the reader from unnecessarily gory details and focusing on character and story. Recommended for readers ages eight to fourteen.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Cantor and his friends serve the god Primen in a monotheistic religion similar to Christianity.

Violence
Brief references to physical violence. Cantor and his friends work to thwart a terrorist attack against council leaders. Details are vague and the attackers aren’t featured much.

Drug Content
Cantor and Bixby team up with a healer who uses various potions to patch their wounds.

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Review: A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

A Cast of Stones (The Staff and the Sword #1)
Patrick W. Carr
Bethany House
Published February 1, 2013

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Desperate for coins enough to drown his painful past in drink, Errol agrees to deliver an urgent message to a nearby priest. Then an assassin destroys the message and nearly kills Errol, forcing him to flee with the priest and his companions.

The priest and other members of clergy gather to select a new king, but a deadly enemy opposes them at every step. Still battling lust for ale and past demons, Errol finds himself caught deeper within the church’s web of danger and intrigue. If the enemy wins, the king’s line will end and the border that protects the kingdom will fail. To survive and protect his friends, Errol must conquer his past and uncover the identity of the ruthless ones who pursue him before it’s too late.

Like many Christian fantasy novels, this story contains a monotheistic religion that closely resembles Christianity. What keeps this from being entirely predictable or mundane is Carr’s clever addition of a second spiritual leadership group who balance the power of the priests and reveal the will of Deas (God) through casting lots.

Carr’s deft and thoughtful storytelling can’t help but leave readers eager for the next chapter in the fascinating world he’s created. Errol’s unexpected and expertly crafted transformation from cowardice to heroism makes this novel both moving and memorable.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
A woman obliquely propositions a young man. Nothing explicit or overt.

Spiritual Content
Characters follow a monotheistic religion that includes worship of a god called Deas. In addition to priests, Deas also gifts certain followers to become readers, men who cast lots and determine the will of Deas through the results. A woman possessed by an evil spirit tries to attack Errol and Liam.

Violence
Assassins pursue Errol and his companions, at times succeeding in wounding him and his friends.

Drug Content
Errol begins the story as an alcoholic, but devoted friends and companions help him see the self-destruction in that lifestyle.

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Review: My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush by Laura Toffler-Corrie

Book Review and Content, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, ,

My Totally Awkward Supernatural Crush
Laura Toffler-Corrie
Roaring Brook Press/Holtzbrinck Publishing
Published August 20, 2013

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Babysitting the neighborhood terror, David Lipski, is enough to give any girl nightmares, but when the handsome hero who comes to her rescue waltzes out of Jenna’s dreams and into a server’s uniform at Cowboy Clem’s, it’s got to be too good to be true, right? Luke has the face of an angel. And that’s exactly what he is. He’s been sent to earth with a mission – to guard and protect the family heirloom necklace Jenna’s just been given as a birthday gift. If Adam, a boy serving darker powers, gets his hands on the necklace, he’ll bend its power to his will and use it to rule earth. Along with a tirelessly devoted neighbor and her young babysitting charge, Jenna embarks on a wild adventure to stop the forces of evil from swiping the tacky necklace and destroying the world as she knows it.

The story is packed with quirky characters and light-hearted humor, though there are several brief references to bodily functions. The unconventional use of angel and demon characters made the story unique, but left the story-world somewhat disjointed. Both Jenna’s parents seem remarkably disconnected from their daughter’s life. While Jenna doesn’t spend a lot of emotional energy on her family either, she often speaks rudely about her family members. The romance between Luke and Jenna develops nicely and remains clean, making this a good choice as a romantic story for new teen readers.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild word choice and frequency.

Sexual Content
Very brief kissing. Jenna tries not to think about sex in front of the boy who can read her mind. No additional details are specified.

Spiritual Content
Though the story features angels and demons, neither appear connected with God or Christian context in any way. Instead, the two are mortal enemies somehow thrust into the human world by the alignment of planets at the equinox.

Violence
Very brief fighting and description of someone stabbed to death. No graphic content.

Drug Content
Jenna asks her parents if a person could talk to an angel. Her mother offers that someone taking crack might have this experience.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Eve and Adam by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Eve and Adam (Eve & Adam #1)
Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant
Feiwel and Friends
Published October 2, 2012

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After a devastating accident, Evening is sent to an advanced medical facility called Spiker Biopharmaceuticals to recover. With her mother as the director, no expense is spared to get Eve back on her feet. To keep her busy and distracted, Eve’s mother offers to pay her to test simple simulation software. Eve agrees and begins to create a boy. The most perfect boy.

As Eve’s body rockets through recovery, Eve begins to suspect that there are things her mother isn’t telling her. Then Solo, the mysterious boy who seems to live at the medical facility, offers her a dangerous gift: the truth. What Solo tells Eve could shut down the whole company and land several prominent figures, her mother included, in prison and Eve must decide whether to warn her mother, beg Solo to maintain silence, or turn in the information herself. If anyone discovers Solo’s plan, he may not live long enough for Eve to decide what to do.

A fast-paced, clever exploration of genetics and morality, Eve and Adam balances light humor with dark issues. As Eve chooses traits for her perfect man, she wrestles with popular conventions about what’s most important in a potential mate. Physical beauty? Intelligence? Bravery? How much of what Eve programs in genetically would govern who her perfect man turned out to be? Solo’s careful cataloging of the evils perpetrated by the medical facility leaves readers in no doubt as to the importance of moral laws governing medical research. Beyond the science, the authors offer a thrilling journey filled with high drama and narrow escapes as well as tenderness and empathy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate word choice, mild frequency.

Sexual Content
Eve’s friend Ashlynn lives something of a promiscuous life. Eve doesn’t share many details, but Ashlynn makes several suggestive comments, especially about certain body parts of the boy Eve is creating using an advanced computer program.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Ashlynn relates a story to Eve in which she and her bad-boy boyfriend Maddox are attacked by gang members. Three men beat Solo savagely. A man is stabbed in the skull with a large metal sculpture.

Drug Content
Eve’s mother runs a high-tech medical facility which performs research and experimentation on disease prevention and eradication as well as genetic manipulation. Ashlynn’s boyfriend sells marijuana and lands himself in a mess of trouble both with the law and with a local gang.

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Review: Merlin’s Shadow by Robert Treskillard

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Merlin’s Shadow (The Merlin Spiral #2)
Robert Treskillard
Blink YA
Published October 1, 2013

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After vowing to protect young Arthur at all costs, Merlin and his companions flee from the army of Vortigern, the new self-proclaimed king of Briton. Merlin’s faith falters along the difficult road, as does his confidence in the love of the fair Natalenya. Now that his sight has been restored to him, he can’t help but despise the terrible scars that mar his face. He decides to ask Natalenya to break her vow to marry him and return to her family. Heartbroken, Natalenya fears the mysterious illness that plagues her has driven away Merlin’s love for her. A vicious tribe of Picts corners Merlin and his companions and forces them to choose between death and slavery. Desperate to save Arthur, Merlin chooses slavery and endures cruel treatment at the hands of his master and tribal leaders. When help finally comes, Merlin fears the price may be too great, and all the sacrifices he’s made may prove worthless.

This second novel in the Merlin Spiral picks up immediately following the first installment. Unfamiliar readers (or those who’ve lost track of some of the finer plot points since reading the first book) will be thrilled to find a brief synopsis of the series’ debut in the opening pages of this tale. In addition, Treskillard also provides a character glossary with pronunciation notes, which is a great help to readers who struggle to remember the roles for each character in the large cast.

While some stories seem to lose steam in the second book, the Merlin Spiral only ratchets up the action and intensity, propelling readers through action and danger. Characters continue to grow as they face new threats and challenges. Fans of the classic story of Arthur and Merlin will continue to enjoy the fresh, imaginative twists to the tale and find themselves eager for the third installment.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Beneath the familiar story of King Arthur and Merlin lies a raging war between Christianity and Druidism for the Isle of Briton. Some Druidic rituals are referenced, including human sacrifice and use of powerful artifacts. A young girl falls into a burial pit and sinks to the bottom where she encounters a Druid deity. Merlin sees God-gifted visions and finds the Sangraal (Holy Grail.)

Violence
Battles between Merlin’s companions and Druids or soldiers following the self-proclaimed British king Vortigern are described with moderate detail.

A savage tribe of Picts carries Merlin, the young Arthur and their band of companions off into slavery and treats them cruelly. A Druid ritual nearly costs a young boy his life.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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