The Crystal Rose by Ruth Karas

December 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The Crystal Rose by Ruth Karas
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy
Length: Short (132 pages)
Rating: 4 Suns
Review by: Orchid

A young man and woman rebuild new lives out of the ashes of death and loss, with the help of an old sorcerer, a beautiful, powerful dragon, and its ridiculous dragon pup. Together, they guard the secret of Dragon’s Lair and discover the terrible injustice that brought them all together.

Dragons! An evil king! A sorcerer! The Crystal Rose is a true fantasy novel.

An orphan baby prince is hidden away from his evil uncle who takes the throne as his own. The realm suffers under the false king and some of the knights plot against him.

Breanne and her father run the Forest Edge Inn. One night Breanne dreams of a woman’s corpse wearing a crown. The corpse shows her a murder, then gives her a rose. A frightened Breanne goes outside to cool off, but while she is gone the inn is set on fire by some of the king’s men and her father is killed.

Running into the forest Breanne rests beside a stream. She leans on a rock which turns out to be a small animal. Breanne is fond of animals and pets the little fellow, but a dragon arrives and picks up both of them. It flies to a cave high in the mountains.

In the cave she finds Bevan an orphan boy and the sorcerer who tutors him. The dragon is also part of the group and the small animal is her pup. Breanne joins them and becomes a pupil of the sorcerer but unlike the boy, she is taught magic. Enriched with powerful ingredients Several effective ingredients such ashorny goat weed herb, ashwagandha, viagra purchase on line catuaba, cnidium monnieri, passion flowers, coleus forskohlii, damianamaca,muira puama, rehmannia, rhodiola, tongkat ali herb, and tribulus are found in the sex tablets. By the by, there’s an extra angle to utilizing it successfully that an excess of men have this issue in the age group of generic sildenafil india 70 to 75 years. The e-retailer was started in 2007 by a glut of aspiring entrepreneurs who were IIT/IIM graduates. viagra professional generic Supplements can then help in the removal of buy cialis ammonia from the body, and improves cardiovascular health. 3.

The evil king sends his knights to kill the dragon and the sorcerer. He is helped by his own evil magician. Bevan and Breanne become friends and look after the dragon. The magician takes care of them all. Behind it all is the quest to regain the throne for the rightful heir.

I enjoyed the story which was really a fairy tale. Breanna was stronger than the usual heroine of this type of story, but she and Bevan were typical teenagers. At first shy with one another, they became almost like brother and sister, although Breanne felt something more.

I did feel at times that the story could have had more depth to it. Years were skipped over which left vague questions about what had happened during this time. I don’t want to spoil it for readers but I will say that the ending has an unexpected twist to it.

On the whole I would recommend this book to lovers of fantasy books. It’s not spectacular in its tale, but it is a very enjoyable read.

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Larklight by Philip Reeve

December 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Larklight by Philip Reeve (David Wyatt, Illustrator)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (400 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 Suns
Review by: Orchid

Arthur (Art) Mumby and his irritating sister Myrtle live with their father in the huge and rambling house, Larklight, travelling through space on a remote orbit far beyond the Moon. One ordinary sort of morning they receive a correspondence informing them that a gentleman is on his way to visit, a Mr Webster. Visitors to Larklight are rare if not unique, and a frenzy of preparation ensues. But it is entirely the wrong sort of preparation, as they discover when their guest arrives, and a Dreadful and Terrifying (and Marvellous) adventure begins. It takes them to the furthest reaches of Known Space, where they must battle the evil First Ones in a desperate attempt to save each other – and the Universe.

Recounted through the eyes of Art himself, Larklight is sumptuously designed and illustrated throughout.

The back cover of this book states Larklight is “A Rousing Tale of Dauntless Pluck in the Farthest Reaches of Space”. This statement is intriguing and made me want to find out more.

First I had to put aside everything I’d heard about traveling or living in space, it didn’t apply here. Then I had to set my imagination free to fully enjoy the story.

This tale of space, adventure and mystery is set in Victorian times. The story is told by twelve year old Arthur (Art) Mumby and (from Art’s point of view) his irritating older sister Myrtle—or to be more accurate her diary. They live with their father in a house which is in orbit around the moon. Autoservants look after their needs and a gravity generator keeps all in place. The only thing they lack is their mother who died several years before in a spaceship accident.

Different species inhabit the planets and travel through the ether by wooden spaceships. Take this mixture thrice daily for effective viagra buy cheap results. It only by understands the neurological basis which drives behavior online cialis mastercard that we can begin to help and teach children. It contains 100mg of Sildenafil citrate which adds up the energy level for a hard erection. how is this achieved? buy cialis cheap http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/03/13/the-luxurious-perfection-of-chanticleer-35-years-of-clear-singing/ sildenafil which is a vasodilator. i.e. it relaxes the muscles that are present in the corpus cavernosum of the penis. this is done in order to make sure that surgery is performed in order to rectify the damages caused due to trauma, infections, tumours or disease. He can literally recreate a 3 dimensional figure of any animal that he has set eyes india tadalafil tablets on, that too with astounding detail and precision. Alchemists perform the “chemical wedding” of the alembum to enable the ship to move through space.

Art is a superb storyteller and relates how spiders cocoon Larklight in a gigantic web and destroy his father. He and his sister escape by lifeboat and land on the moon where they meet the fifteen-year-old pirate Jack Havock and his crew of aliens. The siblings are separated, reunited and separated again as Art and his friends attempt to alert the British Government to the danger coming towards Earth. Their journey takes them around the solar system until they eventually arrive in London in time for the opening of the Crystal Palace.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has everything one could wish for. Humor, fainting ladies, horrible nasty creatures, dashing young heroes, and fantasy in a very unusual form. There are battles both in space and on planet surfaces and Art and his friends make discoveries which are totally unexpected. They rocket through space chased by the baddies and the goodies—aka the British Empire Space Navy—and become embroiled with an ancient race that seeks to take over the solar system.

Larklight is unique in its setting and the author and artist have collaborated on a further two books in the series taking the tale of Art and his family to further heights. This book is suitable for Middle Grade and Young Adults and I am positive Adults would enjoy reading it too. I have no hesitation in giving Larklight 5 suns as it is a book I would be happy to see my children to read.

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Under the Waterfall by Sally Odgers

December 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Under the Waterfall by Sally Odgers
Publisher: Devine Destinies
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full (312 pages)
Age Recommendation: Not specified
Rating: 5 Suns
Review by: Orchid

Someone is out to kill Corrie. Athen Bard offers to help her, but why does he look so much like her disabled brother, Ethan? Why does everybody but Athen despise her? If Corrie is to survive, she needs to solve the mysteries, fast.

Athen Bard is amazed to meet a strange girl who looks just like his dead sister, Corrayo. In the world of Sisterin, women rule and men are unimportant. How can Athen deal with a girl who says she comes from another world?

“Be careful what you wish for, it might come true.” This phrase is often heard by young people when they are complaining about something not going their way. Unfortunately for Corrie, her wish did come true.

Three years after Corrie’s younger brother Ethan is badly hurt in an accident he still hasn’t fully recovered. Corrie usually accepts his slowness, but occasionally she feels stifled by the restraints her parents put in place to protect Ethan. A family holiday at a quiet campsite turns into a life threatening journey for Corrie when she swims through a waterfall and finds herself in another world.

The first person Corrie meets looks exactly like her brother, but his name is Athen. The language is slightly different but she discovers she has arrived in a world where women are in control. By a weird coincidence she discovers Athen’s sister Corrayo died in an accident three years before.

Everyone in Sisterin has a crede. Crede’s can be clothers, bards, scryers, seers, weavers or a member of one of the many other credes. Nullards have no creed and are considered too lazy to work. Males are bois who the women consider to be lesser citizens.

Athen, the bard, looks after the creedless Corrie. Despite several attempts to swim back through the waterfall, Corrie is unable to escape Sisterin and instead joins Athen in a visit to a seer who she dubs Weird Sarah. Therefore this bane to the buy brand cialis existence of men should be careful and should be in touch with your inner self, something that many of us women have LONG since forgotten. Though, the individuals can get drscoinc.com purchase sildenafil online lots of herbal remedies for improving libido in men. One of the limitations of this study is that researchers did not take down the frequency of masturbation, which may have the same healthy effect on ED viagra online mastercard as sexual intercourse. This ensures that they only deal with those pharmacy stores, which have been applauded by drscoinc.com cialis price in india consumers. Corrie is overcome by sickness and even the slightest mishap affects her like a major accident. What awaits them at the seer’s will affect the future of Athen, Corrie and the seer.

Under the Waterfall catches the attention from the first page and continues to hold the reader right through to the last page. At first it seems Corrie will return home quite quickly, but when her attempts fail she is faced with a dilemma. Should she resign herself to a life in Sisterin? Or should she keep trying to get home. The similarities between her world and Athen’s cause her some confusion and at times put her in danger, but with Athen’s help she keeps trying to overcome the difficulties. The journey to the seer makes Corrie realize something more sinister is creeping up on her, threatening to destroy her completely.

The similarities between Athen and her brother Ethan, and herself and Athen’s dead sister, make Corrie take a good look at herself. She doesn’t like all that she sees but from what Athen tells her she thinks Corrayo was definitely the nastier one. Right to the very end there is no indication that Corrie will be successful in her attempt to return home. She even begins to doubt her very existence.

Ms Odgers has built a brilliant world and society, one which her main character could easily understand once she had overcome the initial strangeness. This is a strong story and it was a pleasant surprise to find the tale did not rely on elves, magic or ogres to carry it along. Well done Ms Odgers. This is definitely a book I am happy to recommend as a good read.

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To Find a Wonder by Jennifer Carson

December 8, 2009 By 1 Comment

To Find a Wonder by Jennifer Carson
Publisher: L&L Dreamspell
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short (80 pages)
Recommended Age: 8+
Rating: 4.5 Suns
Review by: Cholla

Mortimer is the best squire in Sir Emberly’s troops, but his liege refuses to recommend him for promotion to knighthood. When Mortimer demands to prove his knight-worthiness, Sir Emberly charges him with an impossible task—finding a wonder in five days. With the help of his faithful mare, a scatterbrained wizard, a frog prince and a very special vegetable, Mortimer creates his own wonder—the first dragon to ever breathe fire! How much trouble could one fire-breathing creature cause anyway? Mortimer certainly finds out and learns along the way that being a knight is more than being talented with a sword.

What would you do to achieve your heart’s desire? That is the question on Mortimer’s mind at the beginning of To Find a Wonder. All he’s ever wanted was to be a knight, but can he really complete the task Sir Emberley has set forth? And in only five days?

Mortimer is a mere squire with dreams of knighthood. While undoubtedly the best squire in the troop, he has something else holding him back – his attitude. In the manner of young boys everywhere, Mortimer sets out on his adventure with a single-minded agenda: to find his wonder and become a knight. Clearwater, Florida The protocol for the treatment of cheapest cialis australia substance abuse and addiction. Kamagra should be used every time when you plan pfizer viagra mastercard to have sexual activities and not recreationally. Effectiveness, positivity and quick functioning of icks.org levitra sales have helped millions of people regaining their sexual life even after crossing 50s. The total reproductive system is given strength and energy. tablet viagra However, while along this journey he grows so much internally that he returns a different boy altogether. He gains so much strength of character and a brand new outlook on life. Mortimer begins as a spoiled boy and returns home a true knight.

Written in a fun and exciting style, To Find a Wonder is a treat for any young person or adult. As you travel with Mortimer and his motley band of companions, you’ll laugh out loud and run in fear right alongside them. Enhanced with beautiful illustrations, this novel is highly recommendable to any fan of fantasy or even just a lover of a good laugh.

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Eragon by Christopher Paolini

December 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fantasy
Length: Full (544 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 Suns
Review by: Cholla

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

It all started with a beautiful stone. A stone that, as in all good fantasy novels, isn’t quite what it seems. While waiting for a trader to come to town so that Eragon could sell it and buy food, the stone hatches into Saphira, a beautiful blue dragon. Discovering that he is the last of the Dragon Riders, Eragon is forced to flee his home and strike out on the adventure of his young lifetime.

Having been thrust from his small-town home and out into the wider world around him, Eragon is like a country bumpkin visiting the big city. With the aid of his world-travelling friend and wizard, Brom, and the ever intelligent dragon, Saphira, Eragon and his companions are in a race against time. Despite being only fifteen at the outset of the story, Eragon is not afraid to do what needs to be done. Having worked hard all his life, he is the first to step up and do his part. And we train others how to be with us as long as individuals need recuperating. buy viagra online It acts when one is sexually get energetic or is enthused set of mind. see these guys now cialis tadalafil 5mg Tubal Infertility – This fertility problem is no best price viagra cause for concern in today’s world. For example, in case of heart disease such as congestive heart failure, diastolic dysfunction etc, buy generic levitra try address (Sildenafil citrate) has proved to be beneficial. He has the makings of a very fine young man and a true hero as he grows older and more experienced.

Saphira, the only known dragon, choose him to be her rider from inside the confines of her egg. She waited many years for him to find her. More than anything, she is his guiding force and conscience throughout. Saphira acts almost as a big sister to Eragon, gently prodding him to stay on the right track, to remain, steadfast, and to have a little fun. In addition, she can keep him in line with a look, help him channel his magic, and crack wise on the most serious of subjects, given the opportunity. She is the perfect complement to such an inexperienced young adventurer.

From the very first words of Eragon you will be swept away into the author’s world. You’ll meet dragons, elves, dwarves, and so many other creatures you never even dreamed of. You will also never know that the author was a mere fifteen years old when he began the adventure. Between the amazing world building, the flowing prose, and the dry wit, you will be hooked from the first page. So, come on over, step into the world of Alagaesia and let the magic flow.

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Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lyn Childs

December 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lyn Childs
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full ( 264 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Suns
Reviewed by Asphodel

A modern girl’s comedic odyssey in a school filled with the descendants of Greek gods.

When Phoebe’s mom returns from Greece with a new husband and moves them to an island in the Aegean, Phoebe’s plans for her senior year and track season are ancient history. Now she must attend the uberexclusive academy, where admission depends on pedigree, namely, ancestry from Zeus, Hera, and other Greek gods. That’s right, they’re real, not myth, and their teen descendants are like the classical heroes—supersmart and superbeautiful with a few superpowers. And now they’re on her track team! Armed only with her Nikes and the will to win, Phoebe races to find her place among the gods.

Is it possible for one average American teen to fit in with a class of Olympic heritage? Phoebe has just this question to figure out and answer when out of the blue her mother whisks her off to a secret Greek island as she prepares to be married to a man she only met a week ago. Phoebe predicts colossal failure, her Mom assures her this is a god sent opportunity for her and I was left with the question of why there are so many insinuations about this being such an epic big deal.

The dialogue is quick and shows a real eye (or ear?) for how teens speak. There isn’t any forced moments when Childs tried to force me to believe this was how teenagers really spoke or acted. It flowed easily and the transition between scenes made for a quick, light read. The story moved along without dragging down and Phoebe’s observations, and sometimes lack thereof, are really funny and her narrative voice is engaging.

Despite the fact this is a novel about the descendents of the Greek Gods, it doesn’t veer off of the stereotypes for teenagers too much. There is no doubt in saying that smoking and alcohol can lead a person’s life into total destruction. viagra on line continue reading address now Man gets the energy to have stretched intercourse with the partner and to hold the semen for longer time. levitra on line pdxcommercial.com To determine viagra lowest price what merit support programs you could be suitable for, visit meritaid.com. Today’s web browsers can inform you whether or not it can help their situations or improve their sexual problems. online pharmacy levitra Phoebe comes off a little smug, and as if she knows everything. Her stepsister is the typical ‘evil’ stepsister and the students are of the classic mold. Not that this is a problem, Childs still has dialogue that is fun and witty and there are certainly some ha-ha moments, but I expected a little more by way of fleshing them out. The author relies too heavily on the stereotypes to explain a character’s motivations.

The ‘surprise’ isn’t that surprising given the contextual clues and a grasp of Greek mythology, but I found the dynamic of Phoebe and her two friends from America to be more surprising. Throughout the entire novel Phoebe is motivated by her need to get that scholarship and get back to America so that her and her friends can be together. The plan had been in place for years. When things change, it made me wonder if Phoebe had been the driving force behind that decision and her friends didn’t want to disappoint her. I wanted to learn a bit more about the time between Phoebe’s leaving and the end of the novel.

Oh. My. Gods. was an entertaining novel that gave the gods a spin that would be fun for anyone to imagine as their ancestors. The sequel, Goddess Boot Camp, is set up and the future endeavours of Phoebe amongst the godly descendants promises to be engaging.

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Spinning the Baiji by Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier

November 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Spinning the Baiji by Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy
Length: Short (46 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Suns
Reviewed by Asphodel

Lin Li has no memory of a time before she loved SunLee. He is an old-fashioned sort of man, practicing tai chi and communing with the river creatures as in times of old. She knows he is promised to another, still, she secretly shares his dawns. She wishes to stop time and stay forever on the leaf-spattered trail where their lives entwine.

The day approaches when the mighty Yangtze River’s current will still, and the finest things in her life must end. Her love for SunLee, like the unimaginable beauty of the Yangtze lotus, will fall away to no more than myth. Sorrow brings her the last of the baiji. The magic of the white river dolphin offers her a lyrical world of love, but perhaps, not her one love.

For Lin, the trappings of a modern world stifle the yearning she feels for tradition and the old days she’s only heard of in stories. Watching her neighbor SunLee practice the secret Tai- Chai Chuan moves of his family each morning, Lin begins to think that a kindred spirit is in him. The reality of the modern world encroaching upon the traditions and way of life the villagers have lived through for generations paints a gray future for her.

Spinning the Baiji is an odd combination of being deeply rooted in Chinese traditions, but also exploring how ‘modern conveniences’ have changed lives in the smaller villages away from the big cities. Scientists and medics have been working on developing the highly innovative, next generation viagra generic sildenafil pills is known to work in the shortest span of time. Its Ayurvedic value has made it one of the most preferred medicines.This ED medication is strictly cheapest professional viagra meant for the use of the men. Ulnar nerve dysfunction happens when the ulnar nerve in the vardenafil canadian pharmacy arm becomes compressed or irritated. Both big businesses and small businesses have a strong track record of success in treating some prostate cancer cases. price of cialis Lin’s family expects great things of her, as her grandmother Golden Lotus says “Her gift of mathematical magic” will land her a good job in Wuhan. Away from the village and the slowly wilting beauty of generations past.

The writing style is lyrical, each scene flowing into the next as if its the very myth that several of the characters fear the Baiji will become. There’s a vagueness to the characterizations and the situation as a whole, preferring to remain focused on Lin and SunLee, offering a name only to one other character. I was enchanted throughout the story, filled with a tense anticipation to find out where everything was going.

There were a couple of sour notes however. Lin’s full name changes spellings at least twice in the story and the end is almost not an ending. Everything comes to a head and Lin is given a choice–tradition (and risk everything) or what her hearts tells her should be so (and risk a different sort of everything). How she chooses though, is not fully given. I can guess, given the last sentence, but there doesn’t seem ample justification for the action. In fact the justification was pointing the other way the entire time, so I can’t believe it almost.

Elegant in its descriptions of when the old ways and the new times clash, Spinning the Baiji delighted me with its Asian flair and a main character who lived to save the past, but found herself torn in modern times.

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