Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: The Sight by Erin Hunter

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , ,

The Sight
Erin Hunter
HarperCollins Publishers
Published April 24, 2007

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Jaykit and his siblings can’t wait to be christened as apprentices when they finally reach six moons of age. Until then, though, no one will let them leave the camp, even when a dead fox and its abandoned cubs spell big trouble for the clan. Determined to help, Jaykit and his siblings sneak out of the safety of the camp, hoping to be the first to find the fox cubs and chase them from the ThunderClan territory. When the larger than expected cubs injure Jaykit, all three kittens find themselves in big trouble.

As the apprentice ceremony finally arrives and Jaykit becomes Jaypaw, he seethes under the sympathy of the other clan members. He may be blind, but he can smell much better than any other cat in the clan. He can learn to fight as fiercely as any cat, if only he could have the chance. The clan’s medicine cat, Leafpool, tries to talk Jaypaw into apprenticing as a medicine cat instead of pursuing his dreams as a warrior. With Jaypaw’s knowledge of herbs and his sensitive nose, he would make a great medicine cat. The fact that ThunderClan’s ancestors, members of StarClan, visit Jaypaw in his dreams only seems to further prove Jaypaw’s destiny as a medicine cat.

But Jaypaw’s dream of becoming a warrior does not die easily. When a rival clan invades ThunderClan’s territory, Jaypaw realizes it will be much more difficult than he thought to battle an opponent without the aid of his vision. To make matters more difficult, his litter mate, Hollypaw, has begun training as apprentice to the clan’s medicine cat. As an ancient prophecy about three powerful cats unfolds around them, Jaypaw and his siblings must find the way to harness their gifts and pursue their destinies.

This first book in the Power of Three series draws readers in to the delightful and mysterious world of cats. As the characters interact, cat lovers will recognize various gestures and body language familiar to them from their own furry friends. Jaypaw’s struggle between the glorious life he imagines as a warrior and the disappointment of being left behind to wait for the wounded as a medicine cat is a powerful journey with which readers will easily identify. Hunter’s forest world of cats is fresh and entertaining. One thing this author does not skimp on is in the number of named characters who appear in the story. Keeping track of names and various relationships can be confusing. Thankfully, a glossary of characters is included among the opening pages.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The cats journey to the Moon Pool to commune via dreams with their ancestors, members of the StarClan.

Violence
Some animal violence. Not highly detailed. Two rival clans battle in the woods. A fox chases a kitten and bites its tail. The cats eat small animals like mice, but no eating is described in detail.

Drug Content
Herbs are used as medicine to help cure illnesses and wounds.

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Review: Perverse by Larry Rodness

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

Perverse
Larry Rodness
ITOH Press
Published December 31, 2012

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As a second generation Goth, even Gothic life for Emylene is weird. Not weird. Perverse! While she enjoys her position in her community as a Goth princess, she doesn’t always see her spoiled and self-centered behavior and how it impacts others. When she inadvertently frees a mysterious girl from a charcoal sketch found in a dismal antique shop, Emylene’s world begins to shift. Her parents are barely recognizable and what’s the deal with her friends at her nightly club hangout?

Too late, Emylene realizes her new friend is not what she seems. As events spiral out of control, Emylene finds new allies to face the terror she is partly responsible for releasing. It will take all their strength and cunning to stop the creatures controlling her hometown.

Rodness creates a complex and feisty young girl with smarts and spunk in spades. Emylene grapples with her newfound adulthood and its challenges in familiar and entertaining ways. Narrative and plot are not as well-constructed as the characters, however. The narrative wanders out of one point of view and into another without ceremony or pattern. Scattered rants about the misconceptions the mainstream population has about the gothic community were sometimes off-putting rather than insightful. One character hijacks the story and inserts a long (several chapters) narrative of his own. Still, Rodness uses some interesting bits of folklore and introduces readers to a strange magical picture, creating a story world worthy of the genre.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Moderate profanity.

Sexual Content
References (without description) to some teen sexual experimentation girl-on-girl. In one scene, Emylene is incapacitated by a villain and made to experience sexual pleasure. She is later found by a young man who fantasizes about having sex with her, whether or not she is willing. Other brief references to aberrant sexual practices.

Spiritual Content
Brief mention of solstice celebrations and Wiccan traditions.

Violence
Some brief scenes of fatal violence.

Drug Content
References to bad parts of town including drug trafficking, but no drug use among characters.

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

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Cover Reveal: Shadow Hand by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Blogger's Favorites, Fantasy, , , ,

Shadowhand
Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Bethany House
Published January 28, 2014

“She Will Take Your Own Two Hands

To Save Your Ancient, Sorrowing Lands.”

By her father’s wish, Lady Daylily is betrothed to the Prince of Southlands. Not the prince she loves, handsome and dispossessed Lionheart, but his cousin, the awkward and foolish Prince Foxbrush. Unable to bear the future she sees as her wedding day dawns, Daylily flees into the dangerous Wilderlands, her only desire to vanish from living memory.

But Foxbrush, determined to rescue his betrothed, pursues Daylily into a new world of magic and peril, a world where vicious Faerie beasts hold sway, a world invaded by a lethal fey parasite . . . 

A world that is hauntingly familiar.

To celebrate the cover reveal, author Anne Elisabeth Stengl is hosting a giveaway on her blog. One lucky winner will receive a mug with the gorgeous covers of all six books on it. Enter the contest here!

Shadow Hand will be the sixth book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood series. Fans will remember brave and guarded Lady Daylily and her betrothed from Stengl’s third book, Moonblood. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying the series, there is plenty of time to catch up! Shadow Hand will only be available beginning early next year. For more information, visit the Shadow Hand blog.

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Review: Annabeth’s War by Jessica Greyson

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

Annabeth’s War
Jessica Greyson
Ready Writer Press
Published December 6, 2012

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When a mysterious peasant bests him at swordplay, Ransom can’t help but wonder if the disguise conceals the elusive girl he seeks. Once he tracks her down, Ransom finds convincing Annabeth to accept his help is no easy task. As she slips away again and again, always warning him she acts for his own safety, Ransom begins to question his orders to subdue and kidnap the girl.

Annabeth can’t stop running. With a price on her head and her prince’s life hanging in the balance, she must stay one step ahead of Lord Raburn and his men, those who would seek to kill her. Yet fleeing is not so simple. She cannot abandon the prince and her own father, who are both locked in Raburn’s clutches.

Desperation forces Annabeth to accept Ransom’s aid in a plot to rescue the prince and escape across the border. But even if the plan succeeds, Annabeth would have to leave her father behind. As she struggles to find a way to rescue him, Ransom is faced with his own choice: if he lets Annabeth return to the castle, he will not be able to complete his orders, and she may find herself at the mercy of a vicious enemy.

Annabeth is a deeply compassionate and fiercely independent girl. Independent almost to her own destruction. As she learns to trust Ransom and work together with others, she will have to relinquish some of the self-sufficiency she holds most dear. Though at first he is bent on following his orders, Ransom is captivated by the strange girl and her quest. He struggles to balance his commitment to his king and his growing love for Annabeth.

Greyson’s writing is simple and her story uncomplicated, but her characters are compelling and interesting. Annabeth’s War is a short, but entertaining read. The cover art is really beautiful as well.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Annabeth questions Ransom’s motives, wondering how he can do good things for others without any faith in God. She tells him of her own beliefs.

Violence
There are some scenes of battle violence and brief scenes of torture, but no few graphic details are given throughout these scenes.

Drug Content
None.

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

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Review: A Shadow on the Land by Krystine Kercher

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, ,

A Shadow on the Land
Kristine Kercher
Scorched Suit Press
Published January 6, 2013

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Bjorn Horsa and a group of his loyal men are being housed in the castle under King Olaf. To fulfill the ancient prophecy and spare the people of ruin, Bjorn must not seize the crown which is rightfully his. Instead, he must show the stubborn king that the only way to spare the land is to peacefully turn over his rule to Bjorn, Eiathan’s Heir.

As one disaster follows another, the people of Astarkand grow desperate. Bjorn continues to seek the Dreamsender, believing the prophecy will come to pass only if he chooses a path of nonviolence. Struggling to stay one step ahead of the king and his plots, Bjorn and his men travel the countryside helping those beneath Olaf’s notice. The king’s army frays and the people continue to suffer, but Olaf’s vise-grip on his kingdom never wavers. Bjorn clings to his faith desperately, longing to save the people and lead them into peace and prosperity once more.

Known to the people as Prince Dragonsbane, Bjorn Horsa is everything a good prince ought to be. He is kind and courteous, yet strong and courageous. His men follow him loyally but take care to check any foolish judgment that their leader might make. While Kercher shows a remarkable knack for filling each scene with fine detail and firmly anchoring the story in a fantastic, medieval-type of setting, sometimes the details overrun the plot. In the king’s absence, his son obsesses over the schedule for guard duty. Bjorn and his men provide supplies to help outcast widows and orphans escape to new lives. They discuss how many wagons, wheels of cheese, and bags of flour might be needed, details which add a certain amount of richness but slow the forward motion of the story to a crawl. Despite this, fans of medieval settings will enjoy the attentive details and will find it difficult not to like the good prince.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The prince and his men worship the Dreamsender, another name for the Christian God. Scripture references are laced throughout the story. King Olaf and his followers worship a dark god called Woden who demands human sacrifices. Few details are given about these rituals.

Violence
There are some scenes of battle violence, but no graphic details are given about any of these encounters.

Drug Content
References to wine and beer.

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

 

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Review: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, ,

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
James Patterson
Little, Brown and Company
Published April 11, 2005

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For fourteen year-old Max and the others in her care, life is anything but normal. How can it be even close when she has wings bursting out of her back? Max and the others spend their lives hiding from scientists who would put them back in cages and continue the genetic experiments which resulted in their avian mutations. Just when Max thinks the coast is clear, and she and her friends are safe, the Erasers, frighteningly strong boys who morph into wolves, close in on them. When one member of the flock is captured, Max and the others have only one choice: they must rescue her from the lab where they were once imprisoned.

Max finds more than her lost team member when she reaches her former home. A mentor who helped them escape seems now to have betrayed them. He warns Max that nothing is what it appears. Everything is a test. A strange voice in Max’s head echoes the strange idea and leads Max and her friends on an even more perilous journey to uncover a secret which they desperately want to know: who are their parents?

Maximum Ride is packed with action and teen angst, but the ending was a bit anti-climactic, almost as if the book ended partway through the story. Max is above all an empathetic leader committed to protecting the weak, no matter the cost. Her struggle to discover who she is makes for a powerful undercurrent to Patterson’s first book in the Maximum Ride Series.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild. H*ll appears a couple of times.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The central characters are part of genetic experiments and spent a great portion of their childhood locked in cages like animals. After their escape, their former captors pursue them, making for some moderately gory battle scenes.

Drug Content
None.

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