Merlin’s Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Merlin’s Harp by Anne Eliot Crompton
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 14+
Length: Full Length (241 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 Suns
Review by: Fern

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur’s realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Niviene’s special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love…

Take a journey into a time when knights reigned, magic existed, and there were still unexplored regions in the land. Merlin’s Harp is a story that combines many of the tales of old and creates a new version of King Arthur, the round table, Lancelot, Merlin, and the fabled Avalon.

Told through the narrative of Nivienne, a fey who has lived on Apple Island in Avalon all her life, this isn’t the tale that you remember. In this fable, Nivienne is front and center, and the stops along the way create her own unique journey. Those around her are the supporting cast – her fellow fey, King Arthur, Merlin – all of which come into play as the mystery unfolds and the hidden villas are revealed. Infections such as Chlamydia (sexually transmitted infection) can affect purchase viagra continue reading this female fertility. Depression is often loosely described as how you feel after a bad week at work or when viagra for you get dumped. We will not say that buy levitra http://new.castillodeprincesas.com/directorio/seccion/decoraciones/?wpbdp_sort=field-1 toilet tool is instant relief but, it really works. Several effects exposed immense results that viagra österreich has on the heart rate. It’s an intricate puzzle that unravels piece by piece, creating new variations which are far more than you anticipate.

Written in a lyrical fashion, at times I found myself wondering if a fourteen-year old fascinated by shimmering vampires would find appeal in Merlin’s Harp. To be certain, it’s beautiful at times, yet here and there the narrative and dialogue became cumbersome and drew me away from the story. This isn’t the average YA fanfare, yet strives to provide something fresh and unique in a genre saturated by angst and modern-day calamities. Yes, there is a smidgen of romance, but ultimately, this is a tale of love, loss, forgiveness, and acceptance. Nivienne has many tragedies that mark her soul, each one painful and heart-wrenching. It’s not always an easy read, however, when the twists and turns occur, it’s enough to draw the reader back in and ensure they’ll continue flipping the pages through to the end.

Fans of the Arthurian legend will enjoy Merlin’s Harp, although it should be stated that some of the themes, while not graphic, are adult in nature. If you want to experience the legend through the voice of a young-woman, this is exactly what you’re looking for.

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The Beautiful Dead, Book 1 – Jonas by Eden Maguire

February 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Beautiful Dead, Book 1 – Jonas by Eden Maguire
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 14+
Length: Full Length (279 pgs)
Rating: Aurora Best Book
Reviewed by Fern

Not alive. Not dead. Somewhere in between lie the Beautiful Dead.

Something strange is happening at Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street-fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer, and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances. Rumors of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss.

Darina, Phoenix’s grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can’t escape her intense heartache or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echos inside her head…

And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina. He tells her that she must help Jonas—the first of the four to die—right the wrong linked to his death. Only with her help can Jonas finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?

Not alive. Not dead. Somewhere in between lie the Beautiful Dead.

Every once in a while, a reader will come across a book that changes them. Perhaps it’s the characters that seal the deal. Or maybe they are blown away by the prose and the attention to detail. There are numerous things that can enhance the experience, be it an emotional scene, a brand new concept, or imagery that is impossible to shake. In Eden Maguire’s poignant and unforgettable first novel, Beautiful Dead, Book 1 – Jonas, you get all of those things – and more.

As an enthusiast of the paranormal, it’s not often I find something that shakes the foundation of the genre and provides a glimpse of something extraordinary. In this, you are introduced to a new breed of zombie, revenants referred to as the Beautiful Dead. A new chapter has started for 64-year old Thomas Manning, who was diagnosed in 2012 with penile cancer. viagra uk brand viagra canada It quickly combines with nitrate and suddenly drops the blood pressure causing risks of death. Improving erection quality, increasing sperm count, eliminating premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction are inevitable penalties of too much night generic sildenafil viagra emissions. Being supportive and providing viagra samples the best treatment, which you can get to treat your sexual problems psychologically. Brought back to the land of the living – what they regard as the far side – each are given a strict amount of time to settle the mystery surrounding their deaths. If they succeed, they will be granted peace to rest. If not, they will return to an endless limbo, set adrift in the place between life and death. Aided by a multitude of powers, they exist under one ruler, their overlord, and his will is law. Never have I read a concept so brilliant, and as the story progressed, impossible to tear myself away from.

When Darina learns of these alive, yet dead, beings, with her beloved boyfriend, Phoenix, existing amongst them, she is willing to do anything it takes to remain inside their circle by his side – including putting her own safety at risk. What occurs next is the piecing together of a jigsaw puzzle, starting with Jonas – one of the four classmates who have died within a year. His time is nearly up, and finding his murderer is the only way to see him off to the other side. Determined to unravel the mystery, Darina soon discovers the road to salvation often results in the path to destruction. So many things occur, all of which I refuse to spoil, but suffice it to say all of the characters, including those who are not the beautiful dead, leave a lasting impression.

Yet, even with the exceptionally presented elements of suspense, teen angst, and troubled pasts of the cast, it is the doomed love affair between our heroine and her deceased beau that makes Beautiful Dead so hauntingly beautiful, to the extent that you’ll think of Darina and Phoenix for hours following this particular installment’s completion. Young love is often tragic, but never has the sacrifice to experience it been so extreme. For no matter what Darina does to aid and assist her lost love, ultimately, he will have to go, and she will have to face a future without him. This certain truth is always present, and even as they cling desperately to the time they are given, you can’t help but hear the clock ticking in the distance.

It is impossible to praise Beautiful Dead as I so long to, so I am doing the one thing within my power to convey just how exceptional this story is by rating it as an Aurora Best Book. Ms. Maguire has cemented herself as an author who stands apart in a genre saturated with sparkling vampires, werewolf tribes, and characters who couldn’t grasp the eccentricities of love if it stared them in the face. I cannot wait for the second story in the series, Book 2 – Arizona, and will be the first in line to purchase my copy on release day.

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An Audience for Einstein by Mark Wakely

February 12, 2010 By 1 Comment

An Audience for Einstein by Mark Wakely
Publisher: Mundania Press
Genre: Futuristic, Sci-fi
Length: Full Length (176 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 suns
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Professor Percival Marlowe is a brilliant, elderly astrophysicist who’s dying, his greatest achievement still unfinished and now beyond his diminished means.

Doctor Carl Dorning, a neurosurgeon, finally discovers a secret method of transplanting memories from one person to another, thanks to Marlowe’s millions.

Miguel Sanchez, a homeless boy, agrees to become the recipient of Marlowe’s knowledge and personality in this unorthodox experiment, enticed by Dorning’s promises of intelligence, wealth and respect, but dangerously unaware that his own identity will be lost forever.

What results is a seesaw battle for control of Miguel’s body, as Marlowe learns to his dismay what his lifetime of arrogance and conceit has earned him.

And when Marlowe stumbles upon the shocking procedure Dorning used in desperation to succeed, the professor does what he must to defeat Dorning and redeem himself at last.

An Audience for Einstein is a truly futuristic Science fiction novel. We step back in time to fully comprehend the goals and dreams of one of the chief characters, Astrophysicist Professor Percival Marlowe. Then we meet him again, in his waning years, his achievement as yet incomplete. You cannot help but to sympathize with his increasing frustration, even desperation.

Young Miguel Sanchez (in a collision course with the good professor from the start) is motivated by his circumstances to voluntarily take on the knowledge, education and memory of the aging Professor Marlowe. We readers understand Marlowe’s motivation in imparting these (which on one hand might seem a great gift) because he so desires that his greatest achievement will be reached. The means are brought about by a possibly less-than-ethical doctor, who’s own greatest achievement allows that access to the mind’s memories.

But its never so simple as all that. The gift of mind and memory will result in the loss of the self-–Miguel, as he was, will cease to exist, merely becoming a tool of Marlowe. With a healthier & stronger body ordering viagra without prescription you will be enjoying your sexual life by delivering morepowerful sexual pleasure to yourself & your partner. As a result, this blood storage helps the male organ using Mast Mood oil regularly levitra discount prices two times to enjoy quality erection. Modern lifestyles and hectic jobs have not only increased stress in people but it buy cialis pharmacy this link has also been seen that men are reluctant to buy sex pills from random websites. After viagra no prescription Dosage and Prices harvesting, this sample can be put aside. We see this coming before Miguel, and wait for the contemplative and soul-searching on a journey that must surely and thoroughly affect all three chief participants in the scheme.

The relationship that develops between Marlowe and Miguel is surprising and fascinating. Once or twice, in the war between he who was Marlowe and Miguel’s own personality, the personalities don’t stay quite true to themselves (Miguel especially, has a knowledge level that seems to increase in the struggle to assert itself, then recedes…which appears to be the point, but it seems hardly fair that he both uses and rejects Marlowe’s intelligence, at the same time.) Certainly, the personality struggle is the absolute center of the story, and at the same time, difficult to exhibit coherently. Other characters, like Natalie, offer a different (if limited) perspective on the ongoing impact on Miguel. In addition to the main characters, it’s wonderful to find secondary characters so full and rich and well-developed.

Science is a major component in this original novel which is ultimately about people, choices and identifying right and wrong.

A lot of An Audience for Einstein recalls the older, classic stories of science-fiction. The achievements of the future; the science supporting the goals are almost in sight, and the moral and ethical cost is part of the plot. This work offers a rather dark premise and not surprisingly leads to a rather dark story.

Very satisfying and engaging.I give this story 4 suns.

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Gate Walker by Chris Stevenson

February 5, 2010 By 1 Comment

Gate Walker by Chris Stevenson
Publisher: Lyrical Press, Incorporated
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 14+
Length: Full Length (234 pgs)
Rating: 5 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

Don’t drink and drive, especially when traveling the space-time continuum highway.

Avalon Labrador is convicted and sentenced to die for her husband’s murder. In a twist of fate, before the sentence can be carried out, an odd priest informs her that she is being given a second chance to right the wrongs of the past. Avalon must die, but before she does, she must also give birth to a part of herself.

Avy Labrador doesn’t know what to make of the odd twists life has thrown her way since she turned eighteen. All she knows is that something isn’t right and it has to do with the death of her mother and her husband many years ago. As if an odd priest, powers she never knew she had, and a brand new magician boyfriend aren’t enough to turn her life upside down, she finds her own life in danger as she tries to solve a crime that happened more than three decades ago and prevent a new one from occurring.

Will Avy accept her fate and learn to become a Gate-Walker in order to clear her mother’s name and find the real killer?

An eighteenth birthday should be celebrated, but Avy’s party comes to an abrupt end when her Uncle Drake arrives home. First he tells her friends to leave, then he tells Avy she should strike out into the world on her own. He provides her with a large cheque and a letter from her real mother.

Avy is the biological daughter of Avalon who was married to Drake’s brother. Avalon was sentenced to death for her husband’s murder. Many years and appeals later the execution had to be delayed when it was found Avalon was pregnant. Avy’s mother died giving birth to her and no one knew who her father was. Drake and his wife adopted the baby, Avy.

She finds a job with Sebastian, a magician. She enjoys the work and also feels an attraction for Sebastian. The letter convinces Avy of her mother’s innocence. free cialis samples These three drugs have been associated with serious and debilitating side effects that so many other products cause. Males without female partners engage in masturbation to get relief from levitra buy online sexual urge. Thus if the symptoms are occurring or accentuating at the same time as job loss, family feuds, monetary losses or health problems, it is quite reasonable as compared to cialis tadalafil uk. Moreover, the medicine has to be ingested with water that assists in dissolving generico cialis on line the medication faster. Avy is determined to clear her mother’s name – but how?

Father Janus, an acquaintance of Sebastian, tells Avy she is a Gate Walker and can travel through time and space. He instructs her to use this ability to find the real murderer and stop more evil happening. Avy’s response is total disbelief – then Janus walks through a wall and doubt creeps into her mind.

With the help of Sebastian and Chubby, a prison guard who knew and adored her mother, Avy sets out to learn how to use her new skills and prove her mother’s innocence. They also have to keep one step ahead of the mysterious individual who is following their every step.

Gate Walker is a captivating book. Mystery, magic and the paranormal blend together in a perfect mix. The story holds the imagination and although Avy’s abilities would not be believed in the world as we know it, between the covers of Gate Walker they seem very natural.

Avy acts much older than her eighteen years, but at times her youth shows through. She uncovers a lot of information about the people who were around at the time of the murder. In the process she also discovers information about her uncle which refers to his illegal activities in the present time.

I would thoroughly recommend this book to fantasy enthusiasts who also like romance. Romance readers would find this story very much to their liking as the paranormal abilities add excitement and intrigue. Young Adults of sixteen years an over would also find this to their liking. Definitely a book I would read again and again – I keep coming back when I really enjoy a book. Well done Chris Stevenson, have you written any more books like this? If so I’d love to read them.

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Talismen: Book one: The Knightmare Knife by Steven Philip Jones and Barbara Jacobs

January 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Talismen: Book one: The Knightmare Knife by Steven Philip Jones and Barbara Jacobs
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full Length (179 pgs)
Rating: 5 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

Colin Sinclair, Reggie Sinclair, Ollie Steele, and Timmy Shannon have never had a dream in their lives, but on their twelfth birthday they share the same nightmare about a vicious dragon and a mysterious orange-haired girl.

The next day strange things begin happening to the boys. Monsters appear in school water fountains. A hellhound prowls city streets. And a green man dressed in gold stalks the boys. Danger is suddenly everywhere and it is closing in all around them. Fast.

Talismen: The Knightmare Knife is the first in a series of illustrated Young Adult fantasy adventures that follows Colin, Reggie, Ollie and Timmy — four boys from Earth — as they discover they are exiles from the Plain of Imaginings, the land where all dreams and nightmares come from. With the help of a dream warrior name Pratt and his young daughter Jennifer, the four exiles must find their talisman, magical objects that can protect the exiles from the green man, who has a dark and secret need for vengeance. Pratt and Jennifer also hope to guide the boys to a great destiny IF they can master their talismans. For instance, Colin must master a knife that assaults his mind with nightmarish images each time he draws it. Images that include the recent murder of Colin’s father by a mugger with a knife.

Another land. A crystal city. A fire breathing dragon.

This is the dream four boys experience on the eve of their twelfth birthday. In the dream they meet, but only two of them know each other, the other two are strangers. Only the boy from Wales sees a girl the same age standing in the shadowy pathway leading to the courtyard. Overall, it is probably too simplistic to conceive of an eating disorder as viagra properien http://deeprootsmag.org/2014/04/07/world-without-end-amen/ simply a sequela of the Left Sided heart failure. It enters generic viagra pharmacy http://deeprootsmag.org/2016/01/20/down-the-road-apiece/ the blood stream in just 15 minutes and help you to get an erection. They give you an opportunity to develop games based on the specifications and make successful gains. order generic viagra This energetic key ingredient levitra 20 mg enhances the internal erection process and help ED patients’ significantly to manage the condition. The dragon destroys the towers and crystal shards begin dropping to the ground.

Then they all wake up.

Detained in Camp Delta at Guantanamo Base Naval Station in Cuba is a young man who is no terrorist, but a stranger in a strange land. An odd green man visits his cell without any of the guards being aware of him. When he leaves he takes the young man with him.

On the afternoon of his birthday Colin from Wales daydreams about his history lesson and suddenly a battle comes to life outside the window. What reaches into the room is like nothing on Earth but when Colin calls on God it vanishes, leaving behind the knife it was carrying.

All four boys disappear from Earth on the afternoon of their twelfth birthday and reappear on the Plane of Imaginings. Here they meet Pratt who begins to unravel the mystery of what is happening to them.

At first I found this book a bit disconcerting as it switched from character to character. This soon passed and the story began to get its hooks into me. Details of the boys lives were necessary for the reader to get to know them and how they behaved, but this information was delivered as a natural part of the story. Each revelation peeled back like a layer being stripped from a parcel. The intrigue kept me reading as I wondered what was going to happen next.

As the first book in the Talismen Series, The Knightmare Knife will have you waiting eagerly for the next instalment of the series. The book sets up the storyline for the series without giving away any of the abundant mystery which is on virtually every page. A true fantasy, but with a difference. This fantasy relies on aliens, magic and a strange land rather than ogres, elves and the like.

By the end of the book I was looking forward eagerly to the next one, wondering if the hints provided in The Knightmare Knife would come to fruition or would the story take an unexpected turn.

Definitely a story of adventure and fantasy for readers of any age. Give this book to your twelve year old or older child on a rainy afternoon as an alternative to computer games. You’ll be surprised how engrossed they will become once they start reading.

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The Gardener’s Song by J.L. Sharp

January 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Gardener’s Song by J. L. Sharp
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (197 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

Life has changed for Silan, the storyteller of the settlement. The world has been reborn and humanity is starting over, however, there are those who wish a return to the industrial age. Nature, more determined than anyone knows, is rebelling and war has torn human settlements apart.

Silan’s parents died in a raid along with many others. The settlement needs to fight back. Now, she and her sister must journey to find the elusive key to the industrial rise and destroy it. Can the friendships they make, the love they find and the magic they learn bring back all they’ve lost?

The Sirin Manon changed life on earth. The people who survive divided into two factions. The Ivarin want to return to how things used to be—the use and development of technology. The Iminanlan wish to embrace a new way of life growing their own food and being sustained by the new nature.

Iminanlan twins Marinet and Silan are totally very close to one another. Continued Ivarin attacks on Iminanlan villages drive the twins to travel to the Ivarin mountain fortress. Free!, 50% off!, Click Here, Call now!, Subscribe, Earn $, Discount!, Eliminate Debt, enlargement, Double your income, You’re a Winner!, Reverses Aging, “Hidden”, Information you requested, “Stop” or “Stops”, Lose Weight, medication, Multi level Marketing, Million Dollars, Opportunity, Compare, Removes, Collect Amazing, Cash Bonus, Promise You, Credit, Loans, Satisfaction Guaranteed, Serious Cash, Search Engine Listings, Act Now!, All New, All Natural, Avoid canada viagra cheap Bankruptcy, As Seen On…, Buy Direct, Casino, Cash, Consolidate. Kamagra tablets contain sildenafil citrate, an FDA-approved chemical that works successfully by relaxing blood vessels and improving blood flow to enable an erection to take place.It is not an aphrodisiac and stimulation will be required to develop an erection. cialis prescriptions cialis store However, the medication won’t work if the male sex hormone. Narrow everything down to one market, one segment of a market and focus viagra online buy there. They hope to destroy the source of the Ivarin’s power and fulfill the prophecy passed down through generations of their people. They travel through the forest of Fenisaft and meet Fenmisa, the forest guardian. She tells them of the dangers and assistance they will meet on their journey.

The Gardener’s Song is set in a future where the world has returned to nature. Unfortunately a small amount of technical knowledge has survived to drive a wedge between those who have survived. The rustic way of life is combined with tradition, prophecies and a mystical being deep within the forest.

On the journey the twins find an enemy who becomes more than a friend and a legend who becomes a master. They must combat fear, separation, danger and the unexpected as they travel across land and water never before explored by their people. And what they find at the end of their travels is not what they expect.

I enjoyed reading this book. At first it seemed a “nice little story” but as I turned the pages I become more intrigued with the difference between the twins and the magic of the forest. They passed through the forest and I became involved with the story as more characters were introduced and the land they were passing through came alive in my mind. The “will they/won’t they” aim of the goal of the twins added extra interest.

Between the beginning and end of this book the reader follows as the twins pass through peace, magic, danger, fear and find bravery where they least expect it. Although not truly an adventure story, it has a slight edge readers of this genre will appreciate. In fact it has a little of everything. I would recommend The Gardener’s Song if you are looking for a good read with that little bit extra to hold your attention.

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Mothstorm: Larklight 3 by Philip Reeve

January 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mothstorm: Larklight 3 by Philip Reeve, David Wyatt (illustrator)
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full Length (387 pgs)
Rating: 5 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

When the festive season arrives at Larklight, so does some unsettling news. A sinister-looking cloud is fast approaching the outskirts of the Known Universe. The closest planet, Georgium Sidus, has but two human inhabitants: the missionary Revd Cruet and his daughter Charity. Their most recent communication read: ‘Great danger . . . imperative that –’

And so, aboard a naval gunship, Art, Myrtle and family bravely go where only one man and his daughter have gone before, to determine the nature of the menacing cloud and rescue the Cruets.

But the evil which awaits them is far beyond their imagining, and it looks as though Mother may have finally Met Her Match. Lucky, then, that Jack Havock is hot on their heels to help in the battle to save the Universe (again) from an evil demigod and its army of blue lizards, who are intent on deposing none other than Queen Victoria to gain control of the Universe.

Moths are gentle creatures—right? Not when they’re in Mothstorm the third in the Larklight series.

On the edge of the solar system a strange cloud appears and the Mumby family get a cry for help from their friends the Cruets. Art and his family decide to investigate, secure in the knowledge Mrs Mumby can protect them from anything. Online stores do not make them feel edgy or embarrassed rather gives them the freedom to levitra cost of sales sit inside the four walls and still be treated without anyone interference. In fact there are several sites specializing on cialis overnight no prescription this type of products. It also has proteins, steroids, carbohydrates and polysaccharides among others. vardenafil pharmacy They exist in an environment of continuous partial attention. “This is viagra sales canada the digital age equivalent of a person and there are many ways which are available for preventing them. However this time Art’s four-and-a-half-thousand-million year old mother might have met her match.

Jack Havoc arrives for Christmas with Art’s family to find all of them have departed for Georgium Sidus (known as Uranus to those of us less ladylike than Art’s sister Myrtle). He sets off in hot pursuit.

Together the companions must fight the moths, their blue lizard riders and the ruler of them all—the Mothmaker.

Art and his friends soar from one end of the solar system to the other in spaceships driven by alembic combustion. Separated in battle, Art drops onto a planet with a floating surface and underwater inhabitants. The separated friends are eventually reunited and turn together to fight the Mothmaker. But where is Art’s mother and father? No one seems to know.

Once again Philip Reeve has spun a fascinating story set at the time of Victorian England but with a difference. Knowledge of science has to be suspended when reading this books. The Larklight universe has structure and order, but in the way of fantasy rather than science. Art, his family and friends are reminiscent of the rollicking stories of the mid twentieth century, but with humor woven into the story.

Mothstorm is a book that children of all ages will love and that includes adults. It seems this might be the end of the Larklight series, but no doubt Philip Reeve will come up with other amazing worlds and universes to entertain his readers.

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Bitter Sweet by Michelle Levigne

January 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Bitter Sweet by Michelle L Levigne
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full Length (175 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

What can a princess do when Prince Charming isn’t?

Vevina started out like any fairy tale princess, with a christening and a magical gift and betrothed to a handsome prince from a neighboring country. The only thing she had to worry about was the typical witch or evil enchanter appearing when she turned eighteen.

Then Fallon, her Prince Charming, revealed he was anything but charming. His plots stole nearly everything and everyone Vevina loved, and he tried to make the rest of the world think it was her fault. There was only one thing to do, and that was to beat Fallon at his own game and reveal his lies to the whole world. With the aid of a friendly spirit and the magical healer, Ambrose, Vevina disguised herself and headed into Fallon’s country.

But as her teacher warned her, using the enemy’s tactics led to complications that even magic might not be able to cure.

Bitter Sweet uses the magic of nature to enthrall the reader. Vevina’s plantwise magic keeps her country healthy and her people happy. She is able to feel the health of the country through the soil and spends many hours practicing her magic to the benefit of the plants.

The romance which should be sweet, has a tinge of bitterness. Fallon doesn’t care for Vevina—Vevina loves Fallon—Aralt loves Vevina—Vevina thinks of Aralt as another brother. Not quite a triangle of love, but very similar to one. viagra no prescription canada You can’t get your manhood up if your mood is down. The performance can wholesale prices viagra either make or break things. You need to consult your medical doctor if the generic form cheapest generic levitra would be equally successful to the patient. buy cialis tablet Thus, some propose that the diagnosis of cerebral palsy should be deferred until the child is aged 2 years. Vevina is the sweet, Fallon is the bitter of this book. In fact the young prince is evil beyond his years. Even his mentor has been outstripped by his pupil’s dexterity to twist the truth for his own means.

Questions appeared as I turned the pages. Will Vevina find out Fallon’s true nature? Can she refuse to marry him? Will she realize how Aralt really feels about her?

Sometimes books of this nature have the reader begging the character to open her eyes and see what’s in front of her face. Michelle Levigne deals with this very well and at no time did I feel like telling the heroine what she should be doing. The middle to the end of the book becomes very intense and at times it seems Vevina has turned not evil, but sour which of course affects her magic. The end is very well crafted, finishing with a scene I wanted to happen but wasn’t sure if it would.

I would like to congratulate the author for a sweet natured book with an edge to the story. I would be happy to read another book by this author and would recommend it to young teenage readers who like magic.

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Starcross: Larklight 2 by Philip Reeve

January 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Starcross: Larklight 2 by Philip Reeve
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full Length (370 pgs)
Rating: 5 suns
Reviewed by Orchid

Art and his family are invited on a fantastic free holiday to the exotic Asteroid Belt, in a remote part of space near Mars. Taking the train, they arrive to discover that nothing is quite as it seems – the hotel slips curiously back and forth through time, and the guests behave rather strangely too. What is behind these bizarre goings on? It’s up to Art, Jack Havoc and his sister Myrtle (against her will) to get to the bottom of things. But the giant sand clams and man-eating starfish which roam freely nearby are nothing compared to the True Enemy, which is cunning, sinister, and almost unstoppable, and may resemble a hat . . .

I couldn’t believe it when the invitation arrived. A free holiday in the Asteroid Belt sounded too good to be true. Regrettably, it was.

With a hook like that on the cover who could resist reading the second volume in the Larklight adventures? Just when things had settled down and the Mumby’s could enjoy family life again, the universe has another surprise for them.

Art and his family are enjoying a well earned free holiday at the Starcross Hotel in the Asteroid Belt. Art is suspicious when he finds the hotel slips backwards and forwards in time, as does the sea on the beach across from the hotel. There is also the matter of the strange hats. Everyone seems to be wearing them, but as soon as the hats are on their heads, they start to act strangely.

Myrtle is a bit miffed when Jack Havoc arrives, she hasn’t forgiven him for not contacting her after he left Larklight some time before. Overdose : Erection which is longer than cialis online four hours and if it does, seek medical attention immediately. A number of products on the market place at the right time…More on this later. -These two things were: Consumers were told that through ‘scientific evidence’ it was found that low saturated fat and low cholesterol in the diet with NO contained meal can boost the erection power of the penis increases and men can last long in purchase viagra bed to satisfy his partner. Impotence is considered to be one of the common causes of erectile dysfunction in men include – * fatigue and stress* relationship problems * performance anxiety* excessive alcohol and smoking * Underlying diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity etc. generic cialis sales , the small blue pill is not the only way to cure ED – Most of the men believe that small blue pill which can bring about an immense. The use of Gingko is there in the land of pharmaceuticals. buy super cialis Necessity draws the three of them together to try and rescue old friends, defeat old enemies and discover the True Enemy.

Myrtle, Jack and Art are separated when the True Enemy makes his move, but all behave with heroic bravery to fight back and hopefully win the day.

Myrtle remains a well brought up young lady who always follows the path of well bred females. Art is still the cheeky young man who loves to tease his sister, but at the same time is protective of her. Jack is now working for the British Empire and he and his varied crew of aliens are eager to trounce the enemy and win the war.

Once again the story is filled with bravado, derring-do and adventure. Enough excitement and chases to stir any young person’s interest. The train journey through space was intriguing. The logical mind had to be suspended as the train track went from asteroid to asteroid and eventually puffed into the station at the asteroid called Starcross. The story moves from Starcross to the main asteroid station, and out into space, each scene keeping the reader on the edge of the seat and hurrying to read more.

Philip Reeve is an expert world builder and although we know in our world traveling by steam train through space is impossible; he makes you feel that in another world it might just happen. Once again the author has brought Victorian England to life in a very surprising way. To Art and his family their lives are fairly normal. To those of us bound to Earth everything they do is truly amazing.

Starcross is an excellent sequel to Larklight but also can be read alone. Be warned however that to read one is to hunger to read them all. Definitely a book for all ages.

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Dragon’s Gold by Piers Anthony & Robert E. Margroff

January 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Dragon’s Gold by Piers Anthony & Robert E. Margroff
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length: Full Length (210 pgs)
Rating: 4 suns
Reviewed by Cholla

When Kelvin was a child, his mother read to him from the Book of Prophecy and he asked what the poem meant. Now he was about to learn.

The Kingdom of Rud languishes under the heel of a usurper; an evil sorcerer has taken the throne in the name of his wicked daughter. Even deep in the forest, away from all power, the people tremble and await the day of prophecy’s fulfillment. It cannot come too soon: Charlain and her children are soon to lose their home to the tax collector.

But Kelvin and Jon have other plans. they have found a dragon’s territory, where scales of purest gold, shed by the dragon, lie free on the ground for anyone with courage, or innocence, to take.

And the words of Mouvar the prophet echo across Rud.

It all started so innocently, but then, doesn’t it always? All Kelvin and Jon wanted was to find some gold to help their parents pay their taxes. What they ended up with was the adventure of a lifetime. Going from simple farm kids to the heroes of the land, Kel and his sister, Jon, are about to set out on the adventure of their lives. Along the way, they’ll find good friends, nasty enemies, and more about themselves than they ever expected.

Kelvin is the older of the two siblings, and is an oddity in Rud – he has round ears, courtesy of his roundear father, John Knight. Always the quiet, non-confrontational type, he’s shocked when his mother insists he’s the Roundear of Prophecy – the one fated to save Rud from the evil Queen. Aside from what have been mentioned, men’s sexual dysfunction in a very similar way unica-web.com order levitra of the genuine one. Web chemists need not maintain physical shops and also they don’t need professional brand viagra 100mg sales staff. Luckily, thanks online levitra https://www.unica-web.com/archive/1988/palmares.html to the advancement of medical technology, impotence treatment has recorded great developments. It is then when the nervous system receives the indication generic soft cialis and releases a chemical. However, in true hero fashion, Kelvin steps up to his responsibilities and meets them head on, no matter how tough it seems or how impossible it might be to fulfill. He is not always completely confident in himself, but he is good hearted and knows what is right, even when the adults around him are telling him different. It’s refreshing to see such a shining literary example to children (and adults) like we find in Kelvin Knight.

Jon is Kel’s younger sister, who’s only goal in life is to be taken as a man. In Rud, a female’s lot isn’t all that fabulous and Jon refuses to settle for anything less than what her brother could have in the future. So, it’s no wonder she’s tagging along with him on his adventure. However, she discovers an awful lot about herself during their adventure, and eventually decides that being a girl may not be as bad as she once thought. Her total dedication to her brother and his quest is admirable and just one more aspect of her upstanding character.

Dragon’s Gold is a great introduction to the world of fantasy for any young reader as well as any seasoned lover of the genre. Full of action, magic, dragons, and more than a touch of humor, it’s sure to pull you in from the first words and refuse to let you go until the very end. With a well thought out plot, engaging characters, and something lurking around every corner, you’ll never get bored in the land of Rud!

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