New Fantasy Novel Draws on Creation Myths for a Compelling Adventure

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From the moment I began reading Tara Casalino's "The Guardians," I was drawn in by the characters, the story, the mystery, and the magic of the fantasy world this first-time author has created. The story begins in an inn where Rafe and his companions await an earl who has hired them to get to the bottom of a mystery. Rafe and his friends, unbeknownst to those around them, are Guardians, humans chosen to have special skills and powers to protect the world. But when the earl enters the inn with a mysterious woman named Ashera, Rafe realizes the game is about to change because Ashera can sense right away that they are more than human, and they equally realize she is more-perhaps part of the Griffin race, believed extinct until now.

The Guardians' origins, and the mysterious origin of Ashera, which even she cannot explain, take the reader back in time to the very beginnings of Casalino's fantasy world as the story of its creation and how dark forces entered the world are told, and within that story lie the seeds for the evil the Guardians are now called upon to fight.

I do not want to give away the story; it's sufficient to say that "The Guardians" has in it everything that a great fantasy story requires, from beings with supernatural powers, to unicorns and dragons, a sinister and powerful dark force, and a well-paced narrative told by the main character Rafe. The first-person voice is engaging, calm, and provides assurance to the reader through a mysterious and at times dangerous quest to defeat the powers of evil. And since Ashera is my favorite character, Rafe's descriptions and interactions with her constantly kept my attention. Here is Casalino's description of Ashera, through Rafe's eyes in the opening chapter following an attack at the inn:

"The four men faced her again, weapons in hand, and as one, charged. Mouth agape, I watched as she simply flowed out of the way, drawing her swords in one smooth, fluid motion by simply pulling her hands back down to her sides. It happened too quickly for me to see how she had done it.

"As she flowed through the shafts of sunlight, she seemed to glow. The sun built an aura around her; the specks of dust, kicked up by her movements, sparkled and glittered. Time slowed and stopped on an image of her, two swords extended, face in shadow, yellow light surrounding her. In that frozen moment, her shadow on the floor looked like she had wings extended in flight, and I was convinced she was meant to join us.

"Time resumed, and what happened next was even faster. She spun and twirled, taking one man out with a kick to the knee, another with a hit to the head, and forcing the last two to freeze with the point of a sword under their chins. They quickly dropped their weapons, at which point the inn guard moved in, collected all the weapons, got a couple of the patrons to grab the men, sent a boy off for the city watch, and took the men outside. It had taken her less than a minute to disarm four men without seriously hurting any of them."

I don't think any male reader can dislike a female kick-ass warrior, and in my opinion, Ashera can put Xena to shame. Furthermore, Casalino does a masterful job of slowly revealing Ashera's mysterious origins to the other characters-and to the reader, so she is not a stereotypical female warrior but a well-rounded character who questions herself and who she is while being devoted to her role of protecting the earl.

At the heart of "The Guardians" is the psychological journey, including how giving into fear can lead to evil, and how overcoming inner fears can lead to victory. Casalino does an excellent job of exploring human weaknesses and those of even more advanced beings. She also draws upon world mythology-Judeo-Christian, Greek, and other cultures-to create universal themes with which all readers can identify.

"The Guardians" filled the void for me when "Legend of the Seeker" was cancelled on T.V. Casalino's fantasy world resonates with questions of loyalty, friendship, creativity, beauty, love-all those aspects of the human condition we struggle with. To read "The Guardians" is to go on a hero quest and return home with a new understanding of how to live in the everyday world. I highly recommend it for an enjoyable, fast-paced adventure. Its visual scenes make me believe it would make a great movie, and I hope Casalino will write several more books, including more novels set in this fantastic world she has created in "The Guardians."

Tyler R. Tichelaar holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. His family's long relationship with Upper Michigan and his avid interest in genealogy inspired Dr. Tichelaar to write his Marquette Trilogy: Iron Pioneers, The Queen City, and Superior Heritage. Dr. Tichelaar is also a professional book reviewer and editor. For more information about Tyler R. Tichelaar, his writing, and his author services, visit:
http://www.marquettefiction.com/

The drawing of the three: a book review, part 4

In the second book by Stephen King "the Dark Tower" series reached Roland of Gilead in the world of a heroin addict named Eddie Dean for help. It is located in the dying of hunger and infection. Roland, the last in a long line of legendary gun Slinger, helps this heroin addicts get up, gangster, which otherwise would destroy him. Eddie escapes with his life in Roland's world, which is much harder, but in many ways more meet the Earth used Eddie as.

It has to Roland predicted was that he would consider three souls, the him his search of ' the Dark Tower.' help to achieve would Eddie Dean, the heroin addict, who had to go cold Turkey, is the first of the three. The second is revealed as you one more door in the level with the name of 'The Lady of Shadows.'

Eddie, in the hope of his own Earth return to heroin, asked to go through the door. Roland let not him. He knows the addicts get high, if allowed to go and not return. So he goes by itself, although Eddie threatens to his sleeping body kill. He now sees a world in the 1960s New York through the eyes of a black woman in a wheelchair. It is Detta Walker. It is also Odetta Walker. She is a multiple personality, and Roland drew as his second card. It is next Detta a minute and Odetta. It is a ' wild one'. " Roland back with her in his own world. Things like this woman of multiple personality a moment is sweet crazy and tries to kill the next. She brought her wheelchair and her temper with her. It is not voluntary.

Roland slips back into fever. The course of antibiotics was not enough. He must enter the third door for more medicine, weapons, ammunition, and his third card. But the man whose body he enters this time evil is not a he wants to bring back into his world. He loves it, push children, women, everyone he can before the subway trains. In fact he is responsible for Detta in a wheelchair. Roland used these murderers to the supplies smuggled to get back into his world. Then, he forces the murderer on the train to jump, he has pushed others above. But to kill the murderer of the 1960s, he endures a murder, committed, which changes the future (which in its past) and greatly disturbs the balance of things. A boy is alive, that should have been dead.

This is his manipulation of the murderer. He finds so suspicious as he watch this third door occurs with the ability, in this world and not the people. Now he learns use his brain to get him what he wants.

Roland is planning to manipulate the murderer, by you the control of the body of man. He fooled two policemen helping to steal him, weapons, ammunition, and medical care in the killer body. This will help to keep him alive, and will also help him in his search for ' the Dark Tower'.

Roland forcing the murderer on the train Walker, revenge for Detta and save boy from ever getting murdered. Unfortunately the mother interferes with nature.

Roland is now ' custom-made device ', but a person behind the three, he was promised. He leads a stronger antibiotics and gets like healed up, how can get a person missing digits. He needs time to get get known with his two apprentices. Detta of the personalities are divided according to some. You melt into a person-Susannah. The addict is a "Gunslinger" such as Roland and forgets about drugs. So not Susannah. Soon, through some other kind of entrance later in the book, Roland his third card, a boy named "Jake." pulls it the young by the hand of the murderer should have deceased is not because of Roland's actions, but that. Nature is furious.

'The drawing of the three' is one of the best fantasy stories. I will not work on the other books of the series as a comment to say that the first two books seem to have to literary value. Someone uses, to Stephen King usual tension found in the first two books of the Dark Tower. But a little deeper look and the characterization is also well done and attitude. Roland of Gilead is in fact rooted in the soul of the "wild of West" a sign. Sure, it has written all over it "Genre". But it's a mix of various genres which seems to link almost modern thinking with the gloomy character of the old West. So you provide these two books with us together.

It is the coexistence of three characters, Roland of Gilead, Detta Walker, Eddie Dean, that King three completely different eras and walks of life backups. These three, together with a fourth coming later laid down in the book, on a mission which forces them back to the roots of their existence. Strangely enough, turns to the order of Roland of Gilead for the Dark Tower is a quest all four heroes in this book will need to take. The main characters are no longer alone in their struggle. You now serve a cause higher than himself, instead either use or ruining their own lives. It is no longer "alone".

Book review for "Noah's Ark"

Book review for: Noah's Ark
Posted by: Vijaya Schartz
Desert breeze publishing
ISBN: 978-1-61252-155-8
Success as: eBook only
5 Star

Schartz prequel exciting pens to their futuristic series, "Chronicles of Kassouk" with "Noah's Ark". Filled with action, adventure, greed, betrayal and love, "Noah's Ark" tells the story of how the people in Kassouk were brought and how they fought for their independence in the face of adversity.

Set in the future, a group of human settlers left to fill the Mars Colony on Noah's Ark in search for a Virgin planet. Everyone has a secret, and the beauty of the journey is that all secrets are in the past once the mission begins.

Trixie is the label of Noah's Ark. It is surrounded by a competent crew and the military man on the mission Kostas is known to protect them. While in the go space, Noah's Ark is attacked in regular room, forced and crashes on Kassouk. The settlers soon discover the remains of the former inhabitants - a Citadel along with an extensive tunnel system and a Duranium mine. Shortly after landing, an alien race known as the Godds (from Godda Davida daytime) the settlers approaching. People to the Duranium need mine ore the goods, Ktal, and Khur, and she will use satellites in exchange, hospitable make the life on the planet. They support the human geneticist, McClure, fill in the planet with life.

Reluctantly, Trixie Ktal does help. Is a life in a "normal" routine. Trixie and Kostas decide to explore her attraction and enter into an affair. McClure, however, wanted his own agenda, more discovered Kostas secret and threatens to expose him. It is a secret which could destroy Kostas affair with Trixie and his credibility with the other settlers. If send the Godds of their enforcer, the situation for people is growing dangerously. Can love and hope to win in the end?

After reading the other books in the series, I was looking forward to the prequel and delivers Schartz. It leads the reader right from the opening. Her writing style is fresh and easy to read.

Schartz world as it draws people's discoveries with the Citadel, on the building then the Godds stared layers, and then threw in the Zerkers.

The dialogue added to the story of a rich authenticity. There is little touches that bring mankind in the history of Viking the cat of Tabor horseback riding lessons.

For me, it was the most rewarding aspects of characterization. Trixie is courageous and daring, finally have her back to her father and her family "noble" heritage. Kostas is a true match for her, gave her the space she needs to make their own decisions. He is tender when tested and not afraid to brave the dangers of the new planet.

The love scenes are alive, capturing ur urgency as Trixie and Kostas cart, each of the other heart in the same way claim that they dare to say that the planet of Kassouk. "Noah's Ark" keeps the reader turning eager to learn what will happen next. Do not disappoint the story!

Tested by: S. Burkhart

StephB is an author who like to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.com / is a site for creative writing.

Review - The Cursed Man

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The Cursed Man, Keith Rommel, 2011, ISBN 9781934597033

First of a series, this book is about a man who believes that Death has taken an unnatural interest in him, killing everyone with whom he comes in contact. Can he really be cursed, or is he just mentally ill?

Alister Kunkle is a patient at the Sunnyside Capable Care Mental Institution. For the past 25 years, he has been secluded from the staff, and the outside world, at his own request. He is convinced that anyone who communicates with him, in any way, is dead within a day, for Alister is Cursed.

His first exposure to death came when he was a child, and he attended the funeral of a beloved aunt. As a married man, Alister became convinced that Death had cursed him when he came home to find his wife and child dead. He rushed into the street, and laid down in the middle of the road, hoping that someone will put him out of his misery. A driver narrowly misses him, and rushes to Alister's aid, to see if he is alright. The driver suddenly keels over, dead from a heart attack. Taken to Sunnyside in an ambulance, Alister distinctly remembers a number of staff members, including big, muscular orderlies used to mental patients, dropping like flies. Looking out the window of his room, Alister sees a dry, desiccated landscape full of dead plants.

A psychiatrist named Anna Lee comes to the Institution, demanding to see Alister. The Director does his best to dissuade her, telling her about Alister's "situation," and showing her news articles as proof. She is not to be denied, so she enters Alister's room, talks with him for a while, then leaves, saying that she will be back the next day. Lo and behold, she returns the next day; she is not dead. Moving one step at a time, she takes Alister outside. The grounds are green and lush, not brown, dry and lifeless. She tells Alister that he is mentally ill, and not cursed. The beloved aunt, whose funeral Alister distinctly remembers, died several years before he was born. The mass deaths at the Institution on Alister's arrival never happened. Dr. Lee reveals that she is not exactly who she says she is. Then things get weird.

This is a very well-written book, with a little bit of Stephen King-like horror. It will keep the reader interested, and it is a gem of a story.

Paul Lappen is a freelance book reviewer whose blog, http://www.deadtreesreview.blogspot.com/, emphasizes small press and self-published books.

The tides of avarice: a Sagaria legend - by: John Dahlgren - book review

In the world of Sagaria - a place not so different than us, unlike almost all animals can talk and have to have about the same status in society, there are adventure... but usually not for lemmings. Outside the sleepy village of Foxglove, there are not many lemmings and a calmer, their place in the world is often overlooked. The only adventure know the most lemmings is the large exodus, where they selected by the great spirit over the mighty huge rocks into the land of doom, set out never to return. This is not quite good enough for Sylvester lemming sound, junior archivist and translator of the ancient tongues, but he sees other viable way in life. Also he is don't worry besotted with the charming and deliberate Viola Pickleberry, plenty of room in the head for others.

And then, one night, he and viola find a wounded ferrets in the River - worse still, a ferret wounded pirates - a treasure map and a warning that is true... too quickly

The first book in the Sagaria series by Swiss author John Dahlgren begins the tides of miserliness, and before you can say "Arrrr" it is out of the race. There is a lot to absorb in this novel - it runs on more than 400 pages and maintains a pace between lively to atemlos-but Dahlgren maneuvers through the history with wit and confidence, keep his characters and situations sent on the road lose without long game. Virtually all of his characters are richly drawn, even until late in the game extensions (Pimplebrains, a schweigsamer but Honorable pirate Beaver, is a good example), and the shading makes in their representations, which resonate with the deeper themes even on the rare occasion where some threatening the subtext to text to. However, even if buried dangerously close to the surface - like rise such as the importance of reason and rational approaches to the world of the dogma of the narrow-minded religions - managed some of the themes, Dahlgren Ligeia avoid and keep the story on a pitch of the ship.

Part of what makes the Dahlgren book so remarkable is the amazing sophistication which mixes the author and genre elements and sound without diving too far in one direction. While probably as fantasy - the book is classified animals talk, clothing and sailing boats tends to make that one given - there is more sea adventure than anything else, and a late Act makes development a strong argument for the position in a different genre altogether. More the book is just funny to the point. Despite some dark corners and the fact that the story still never away is afraid of violence, considers a sound which close perpetual irritated firmly in the hand in the Dahlgren; a large part of the explanatory prose and dialogue reveals an anglophile sense of humor, and the General voice of the book is playful, witty, similar to Douglas Adams or Tom Holt. For fans of wit, adventure or even pirate stories Dahlgren should book a welcome addition to the shelves.

Tested by: Nicole Sorkin, Pacific book review

http://www.pacificbookreview.com/

7 Scorpions: Revolution Make the Apocalypse ROCK!

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When the action-packed, thrilling apocalyptic SF novel 7 Scorpions: Rebellion by Mike Saxton was published, it hit all of the right notes for fans of End-of-the-World-as-You-Know-It books. The novel was the first in a planned trilogy by Mike, and from the first sentence, I knew this was a series that would go down as one of the most spectacular SF trilogies ever written. Now, with 7 Scorpions: Revolution, Saxton has taken the action, suspense, and thrills of 7 Scorpions: Rebellion to a whole 'nother level.

The evil dictator Zodiac is back, more determined than ever to complete his massive Ziggurat and to unleash his "final solution" upon the shattered remnants of humanity. He is fiendishly evil, and his exertion of control over his lobotomized minions, the Grand Army, is proof if any were needed that Zodiac will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals of world domination. The only thing that stands in Zodiac's way are the rebels of Militia 28, but there are only so many of them in comparison to the multitudes of the Grand Army. How can they hope to defeat a seemingly invulnerable foe like Zodiac?

Militia 28, on its own, likely would not stand much of a chance against Zodiac and the Grand Army; fortunately, they are not alone in their opposition to Zodiac. The main protagonist and hero of 7 Scorpions: Rebellion is back, also. Night Viper's heightened strength, speed, fighting skills, and mental powers makes him a very worthy opponent for Zodiac. We learn more about both Night Viper and Zodiac in 7 Scorpions: Rebellion, and other secrets are revealed, like the purpose of Project Scorpion.

Zodiac has tried to hunt down and eradicate any nuclear weapons that America's military might have located around the country, which potentially could be used against him; but, he misses at least one. Militia 28 retrieves the nuke from it watery resting place, but then they come under immediate attack by Hellfire aircraft sent by Zodiac. Was it a set-up? Were Zodiac's troops just waiting for Militia 28 to do all of the hard, dirty work, and then just swoop in to both get the nuke and destroy as many members of Militia 28 as they can?

The novel opens up in the ruins of New York City. Scenes shift from following the plot and action of both Militia 28 and Night Viper, and we get to witness the devastation of the Brooklyn Bridge and even the Empire State Building as Zodiac's military might attempts to kill Night Viper and track him and Militia 28 using satellites. 7 Scorpions: Rebellion painted a bleak picture of mankind's future; but, 7 Scorpions: Revolution is even bleaker, and reading about this apocalyptic scenario is like getting first-hand visions of Dante's Inferno.

7 Scorpions: Revolution by Mike Saxton is full of twists & turns, and it is a satisfyingly action- packed and uber-violent sequel to the first book of the trilogy, 7 Scorpions: Rebellion. I don't want to reveal any more about the plot as I don't want to mention any spoilers, but I'll just say there are lots of shocks and surprises in store for the readers and fans of the first book and the series in Saxton's latest. I can hardly wait to read and review the third novel of the trilogy whenever it is published. If you're a fan of SF novels depicting a dystopian future and ones full of apocalyptic visions, but offering a glimmer of hope that mankind might arise from the ashes.

Reviewed by Douglas R. Cobb for http://www.bestsellersworld.com/

The heroes by Joe Abercrombie

This is the story of the hero, or more specifically what is for a hero or not. The heroes right, is in the same world as the first trilogy only slightly in the future of these events. Many of the characters from previous first law novels appear, but the whole story is a dissection of a three-day battle on the fields around the town of Osrung.

Joe Abercrombie gives us another fantasy book of passion, terror and war. It is heroic military fantasy at its finest. He manages to do one of the most difficult things; He brings the characters to life. In the hero, we get a part of the fight be instead of just reading. He maybe no Geppetto (Pinocchio's father) but by weaving together inner monologues with external actions, he gives the story an incredible immediacy, as is happening here and now.

The hero is written in a very interesting way. Right of the first battle scene of the storytelling technique is revealed. Joe Abercrombie takes a man point of view and follow him until he is killed. The story then jumps to the murderers we received, follow, until he is killed, and so on. We get to follow, what's going on in the head of a man if he breathes be counted. How does it feel to know that you will probably die in a matter of seconds? Does it hurt to get iterate through a blade or of a crossbow shot?

One of Abercrombie, my opinion of brilliant ideas, the book is around, is that experienced everything you need the gap fills you knowledge about a person like him between what he wants and what he really is. And if it is filled with dead bodies, what does it mean? You're a hero? So many men have heroism in her brain, but not in their hearts. The idea of Fame and glory overshadowed the reality of kill and be killed.

More points are the futility of the war Joe Abercrombie. The land where the battle takes place, are not much value, there are no riches, gold only be soon destroyed crops. There is no real reason for the fight. The purpose of the struggle in the hero is as fast as can be possible to stop just so that elsewhere fought other battles. I know it seems pointless, but also the most wars, when we start to think about.

The hero is at the end a bit dark and gloomy, but even more important is honest and funny. Whether you believe it or not, the human tragedy can be funny. Joe Abercrombie characters that will pursue heroism with an illegal term and single-minded persistence end deceived in their experience of life, unless they are also entitled or narcissistic to recognize that their achievements were presented only.

Say "to the honour for victory, to stay alive", but Joe Abercrombie says "I thought you were a decent man but I wandered, you're a hero."

The hero is available as a book and H?rbuch-http://www.fantasybookonline.com/