Reader Views

The Divine Theory of Everything: Book 1 Wanderer

Fantasy can be a very tricky genre. Take it too far into the "unknown" and you risk being incomprehensible. Stay too close to the "reality," whatever that might really be, and your reader will quickly lose interest. Finding a balance between those two is never easy, and sustaining it throughout a book even less so. Robert D. Berger's  "The Divine Theory of Everything" succeeds remarkably well in doing just this, mostly by using many known elements, yet combining them  in a new and oftentimes slightly challenging way.

Of the many perplexing questions that humankind has faced throughout generations, the one of evolution versus creation is surely at the very top of the list. When one combines this with the other impenetrable dilemma, that of the obvious duality of the world surrounding us, a raging battle has to ensue, be it inside the hero or in the world surrounding him. When the hero battles an internal battle while fighting tangible enemies in extremely hostile environment, you can be assured of a wild and hair-rising tale.

Steve Morgan is snatched from his safe, if somewhat stagnant life, and thrown in the midst of an epic battle between the forces of the evil and those of good. The balance in the world has been upset, and without restoring the proper order, the world is surely going to end. The existence of two worlds, one of science and one of magic, is revealed to Steve and he is rigorously trained for a journey that does not seem to have a clear destination and a known path. While he can choose some of the elements himself, the rest is in the hands of divine destiny. He is thrust into the world of magic, and begins his wandering that ultimately should alter the course of the raging battle fought between the evil and the good.

While I detected many influences and echoes from books and other diverse sources, ranging anywhere from the world of Tolkien over Battleship Galactica and back to Plato, "The Divine Theory of Everything" by Robert D. Berger remained fresh and engaging. Although moving slightly too slowly at times, and with an ending that disappointed in its abruptness and "middle of the action" termination,  I have to admit I am eagerly waiting for the sequel. With an ending of this nature, one must surely be coming soon.

The Divine Theory of Everything: Book 1 Wanderer
Robert D. Berger
Llumina Press (2009)
ISBN 9781605942841
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (10/09)

Finding Emmaus (The Lodestarre, Book One)

"Finding Emmaus" is such an incredible read from the very first page! If you have ever thought about unique individuals you have come across in your life, then the story involving Katherine and Frank will certainly give you food for thought.

For centuries many individuals have been labeled as being mentally ill and have been treated with experimental drugs, inappropriate treatment and torture. Today, even with all the modern science, we still treat individuals with special talents with lack of concern or interest. The pharmaceutical companies own us- they make millions of dollars off of us and really don’t care if their medications are causing harm.

Francis Nettleton and Katherine Spencer are two such special people who lived over three-hundred years apart, but both were considered to be crazy or lunatics. Neither knew what special talents they had; their mood swings and dark days consumed them and the medical field misdiagnosed them. Each went on a lifelong search to find out why they received the ability to feel others emotions and if there were others like them. Francis had the help and guidance of many in the “special community,” but it took him until he was on his deathbed to finally come to terms with what he had learned and how to help others like him.

Katherine knew there was something different about her, but she couldn’t figure out what it was until a close friend suggested she might not really be mentally ill, but an Empath. Empaths are individuals who through no choice of their own can tune into others thoughts and feelings in the present and past. Being an Empath is not learned, it is inherited.  These individuals like Francis and Katherine are caring, compassionate people.  They have the ability to tell if someone is lying or not. Much like Indigo children, these individuals have a purpose on earth.

The author has given readers a wild journey to take with Francis and Katherine. She provides historical data, romance, mystery and an insight into how we as a society now, and in the past, truly view those individuals who have been labeled with mental illness. As readers go on this journey they will learn many things and will come to be saddened and angered at how “unique” individuals are treated. The vivid descriptions of characters, time and place and events will keep readers up all night reading.  This reading will certainly make you re-look at your previous thoughts about life and society in general. After reading this one will look at friends, family and acquaintances in a different life and maybe even question if they are an Empath. Very powerful reading and I can’t wait to read the second book.

Pamela Glasner has a unique talent and insight and through her writing shares her knowledge with readers in   “Finding Emmaus.”

Finding Emmaus (The Lodestarre, Book One)
Pamela S. K. Glasner
Emerald Book Company (2009)
ISBN 9781934572337
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (9/09)

Schizandra and the Gates of Mu

There are books that should come with a warning label. If I think of some of the books I’ve read recently, there was definitely at least one that should have had an “Attention! Might put you to sleep!” sticker. “Handle with care! Incendiary!” would have been the right one for another recently read book. “Schizandra and the Gates of Mu” by Laura Bruno should come with a brightly colored label saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts…”

The story of a 13-year-old named Schizandra starts with a bang. She’s recently orphaned and has to move to Sedona, where her grandmother lives. On a seemingly ordinary school day she faints during a biology class and enters a coma-like state. And so the wild ride begins. While they are trying to take her out of Sedona, it seems that Sedona does not want to let her go. Two helicopters malfunction, and so does an ambulance. It looks as if Schizandra is meant to stay. An incredible cast of wonderfully colorful characters gathers around Schizandra, all trying to help her wake up, since the future of the entire human race depends on that -- her grandmother, the midwife; twin maiden aunts, whose chosen profession is reflexology; a handsome, brave and intuitive pilot; a Navajo, speaking of curses; a Japanese-Native American schoolboy. While they are trying to bring her back, Schizandra is in a different world, meeting and encountering some really vibrant creatures -- shape-shifting strange frogs, drinking chocolate and munching on cocoa pods; talking crystals; a healer rabbit; a yellow, dancing hummingbird. And there’s talk about all kinds of extraordinary matters -- Lemuria, also known as Mu; evolution of human race; people as portals; the true meaning of 2012. The list is never ending…

I’ve enormously enjoyed this book. The characters were unique, quirky and likeable. The dialogue was fresh, fluid and captivating. The storyline was compelling and moved at a fast, yet not frenetic pace. The subjects discussed in the book were diverse, and several made me interested in learning more about them, particularly the “end of the world” according to the Mayan calendar and the true meaning of it.

Mystical, magical and totally enchanting, this story opened up a world that I was not ready to leave behind yet. I am truly looking forward to the sequel, and hoping there will be several of those coming out shortly. I highly recommend “Schizandra and the Gates of Mu” to readers of all ages who are interested in true mysteries, New Age, astrology, fantasy worlds and prophesies, as well as to anybody who simply enjoys a well-written story. Laura Bruno will not disappoint you.

Schizandra and the Gates of Mu
Laura Bruno
International Renaissance Press (2009)
ISBN 9780615301334
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (8/09)

Legacy of the Archbishop: Volume 3 of The Myrridian Cycle

It is a case of power run amok, pure and simple; and unless Aldric, a consummate purveyor of black magic is stopped, life in the Kingdom of Myrridia will never be the same, and thousands of innocent lives will be lost. This is the basic premise of Debra Killeen’s latest book, a gripping and well written work of fiction and fantasy entitled "Legacy of the Archbishop."

The setting for this tale is during the Eleventh Century, presumably in England, although the countries described all have mythical names. In that context, the dialogues and descriptions of everyday customs and habits ring true enough. But wait! A few of the characters are heard using slang that is decidedly 21st Century. Could it be that the author stumbled into a time warp and momentarily lost her bearings? Or, are there some time travelers enmeshed in the plot? As it turns out, it is the latter, much to my relief.

The book drew me into the story immediately, although I confess that it took me a while to sort out all the characters. There are a lot of them, after all. But is that a bad thing? Not really. I've had that problem for years reading books written by the likes of Tolstoy and Chekhov. Meanwhile, the story took me for a colorful ride amongst all the things that make for a good yarn, namely: lies, betrayals, deceit, murder, violence, love, romance, and even a little bit of sex. If I missed anything on that list, it was probably there too!

As the tale unfolds and Aldric has his way wreaking murder and mayhem wherever he goes, it becomes evident that he must stopped - But when, how, and by whom? Aldric’s powers are enormous, and appear to come from the Devil himself. Some have the courage to confront him, but not the magical powers; while others have the power but perhaps not the courage. In the end, it falls on Bishop Edward Fitzroy, the Primate of Myrridia and an old seminary rival of Aldric’s, to face him in a confrontation where the magical powers of each will be tested in a final battle between the forces of good and evil, a contest that is arduous, surreal, and richly described by the author. So who wins this epic battle? The good guy? Don’t be so sure. You need to read the book to find out.

Book reviewers use the term "a good read" a lot; but what does that term really mean? To me, a good read is any book that pushes me firmly into my easy chair and refuses to let me get up, even when it is bedtime. "Legacy of the Archbishop," by Debra Killeen is the third of a series that will run for a total of five books and that is a very good thing for her readers. It is a good read by my standards and I suspect it will be a good read by your standards as well.

Legacy of the Archbishop: Volume 3 of The Myrridian Cycle
Debra Killeen
Helm Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9780982060513
Reviewed by Ron Standerfer for Reader Views (4/09)

The Flame Within: Keepers’ Garden Trilogy, Book One

"The Flame Within" is Book One of the Keepers’ Garden Trilogy. This series begins with an assassination that causes the Keepers’ Garden to lose its leader. This affects all of the city-states that fall under the Keepers’ Garden rule. Two movements are vying to gain control. The Imperial Red Lion legions are led by an evil man named Salinar Gederin. He is behind the assassination and is also forcing people to fight for him. His efforts are destroying both the realm and its people.

The other movement is the Liberation, which is led by Spirit Knight Aralon Mittel. Aaron has a rough road ahead of him. As a Spirit Knight he has special powers and training to assist him. Aralon is also searching for his missing brother, Hyval Mittel, who is considered to be the best Spirit Knight.

In addition to a small army, Aralon has two people helping him. One is Darvin Hegg, who was once his instructor and now is under his command. The other is a Mist Elf named Kiyana Irhan. She will assist him until the fighting ends; she has a need for his assistance in her own land. As the evil spreads through the land, Aralon is racing against time to rescue the rightful heir to the throne and to find his brother.

I really enjoyed reading "The Flame Within." The author, Eric Noss, has done an excellent job of creating a compelling, fantasy adventure that is sure to keep readers hooked for the next two installments in the trilogy. He does an excellent job of describing the conflict, and taking you into the characters thoughts. They are all well developed.

My favorite character is the Mist Elf Kiyana. Although she has great strength, she is new to this world and I enjoyed reading about how she has to adapt. Elves are not like humans, and there are times when she really has to be taught the differences, especially to avoid fighting among the men. The reader also gets some glimpses into what is happening to Hyval. This part of the story definitely has me hooked. I definitely want to know how it will play out in the upcoming novels.

I highly recommend "The Flame Within" by Eric Noss to fans of fantasy fiction. They will not be disappointed.

The Flame Within: Keepers’ Garden Trilogy, Book One
Eric Noss
iUniverse (2008)
ISBN 9780595505715
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (1/09)

Forging Paradise

"Forging Paradise" is a part of the nine-book Legends of the Four Races series. It is Book Two in Legends of the Four Races, Book Two in the Weapons Trilogy and Book One in the War Trilogy. At the beginning of the book, the author offers a diagram to show how the nine fantasy novels will be interconnected. I think this diagram will definitely be helpful in knowing how the books are linked and what order they will best be read in. This was the first book that I read by this author. In spite of the book being part of several other series, I was greatly relieved to see that it stood well on its own. I would like to read other books by this author; however, it is not necessary to do so to understand what is happening in this story.

The adventure begins when a small farming village that sits at the edge of the wastelands is destroyed. The people of the village of Brymor had no defenses or magical apprentices to help them. One survivor, a teenage boy, manages to escape and warn others of what he has witnessed. It is realized that the mythical Ferfolk have come with their demonic beasts to leave the wastelands and take over the abundant lands of humankind. The leader of the Ferfolk army wants the power and glory of being responsible for leading these people to an easier life. He will stop at nothing to succeed.

Ogama, a banished wizard, has an idea on how to defeat these people. He chooses five warriors to help with this mission. One of the things that they have to do is help him create magical weapons that can defeat the evil ones. Being magical, these weapons are difficult to control on their own. The warriors have to fight being taken over by their power. Being only five in number, they have a huge task ahead of them. It is not easy for them to trust each other, yet they have to learn to work together to save mankind.

I totally enjoyed this novel. The author, E.A. Rappaport, immediately drew me into the story and he had me hooked enough to read it in one sitting. I appreciate that the story has an ending, unlike some books in series. There is definitely more room for stories to follow, but I don’t have to wait to find out how this one concludes. I look forward to reading more books in this series.

I highly recommend this novel to fantasy fans. I believe "Forging Paradise" by E.A. Rappaport would also make a great gift for one. I can’t imagine anyone not getting hooked on the book!

Forging Paradise
E.A. Rappaport
Owl King Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780978939328
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (1/09)

Ravenshade: A Tale of Alterra, The World That Is

Ravenshade is the third book in C.S. Marks "A Tale of Alterra, The World That Is" trilogy, and it certainly does not disappoint. The story picks up where the second book "Fire-Heart" ends with Gaelen and her friends encountering more carnage from Gorgon, the Elfhunter. Gorgon is back with a vengeance in Book Three and Gaelen must reach deeper into the spirit world and her strength than ever to be able to overcome her formidable enemy. She finds that she even has to deceive those she loves to protect them from danger and lead Gorgon onto a false trail. Much to Gaelen’s dismay, she finds out that Gorgon has also teamed up with great evil and the reader can only hope that good will prevail in the end.

This third installment is fast-paced with Gaelen and company traveling great distances from the South through the desert to her love, Orogond, the destroyed land in the North. Gaelen’s hope by traveling the road is to divert Gorgon and the evil beings of Darkmere from destroying her people. As the community members are alerted to the imminent danger, they work together to overcome evil.

The author’s love of horses continues throughout this book. She portrays their characters very well and the loyalty they have to their humans. And there were no surprises when they do save the day towards the end of the story.

I am continually amazed at C.S Marks’ imagination. She could have just added the final conflict in this story, but instead continues to create new lands, creatures and scenarios. I stand by the statement that I made in earlier reviews of this trilogy - this is the stuff that great movies are made out of.

At the end of the story in "Ravenshade," I felt like I was losing my good friends. Hopefully this is not the last that we will hear from C.S Marks on the subject.

Ravenshade: A Tale of Alterra, The World That Is
C.S. Marks
AuthorHouse
ISBN 9781434324948 (2007)
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (12/08)

Southcrop Forest

Lorne Rothman has created imaginary characters from our environment to capture the attention of the reader and to alert them of man’s threat on our ecology today. "Southcrop Forest" is an intriguing fictional account of Auja, a young red oak and Fur, a legendary tent caterpillar.

Pollution, the lumber industry, and highway construction have all left an impact on Southcrop Forest. In this fanciful story the trees are able to converse and have other unique gifts including Southcrop vision. Isolated from other forests and concerned for their fate, they are desperate to contact the trees at Riverside Farm with their secret before it is destroyed.

The story takes place in an actual forest setting in southern Ontario and is a mix of myth and fantasy. Fur is recruited to take the secret of the South crop vision to Riverside Farm. After a Gathering of the trees in Southcrop Forest, Fur’s route was determined and the plan began to take form.

Fur was to follow the Rapid Trail, going north through the forest to Riverside Farm. Then he would cross Oak River. As Fur crawled along toward his goal, he was attacked by a Rogue wasp and driving rain. He was crushed by rollers and preyed upon by swift flies, and birds. He was distracted by a Mosquito hawk and got lost and was terrified by the dark green forest. In time he too received the secret of the Southcrop Forest vision and the unique insights it afforded.

Rothman used dialog between Auja and Fur to introduce lessons in history, stories of explorers, traders, and the logging industry. Fur learned of the greed of hew-mans as destroyed the forests without thought or concern for the future.

The story is intriguing, inspiring, and enlightening. The author’s notes at the end of the book are a very valuable source of informative. Rothman introduces background material on various trees, birds, earth sciences, and nature studies.

The book gives a fresh understanding and appreciation for the importance of ecology and motivation for taking steps to save the environment. "Southcrop Forest" by Lorne Rothman is an ideal book to incorporate in a family night time of reading aloud. There is something for every age. It is also an ideal resource for the elementary school reference library and for supplementary reading in the home school classroom.

Southcrop Forest
Lorne Rothman
iUniverse, Inc. (2008)
ISBN 9780595495887
Reviewed By Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (11/08)

Awakening the Dragon: Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy

Rachel lives her life by what leads her. She landed in Coyote Springs by asking the Goddess where she wanted her to go, then threw the dart. It is there in Coyote Springs where she will open her "New Spirituality" store, Dragon’s Den. Being drawn to a small cottage on the outskirts of town she crosses paths with Kevin Mitchellson. Kevin is the owner of the home in which his grandmother was killed.

Being like many small towns, Coyote Springs is a place where everyone knows of, or about, everyone there. In this town there is great turmoil between the House of Christ church and those who choose to follow otherwise. "Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy" focuses on this turmoil and resolution prior to the opening of Dragon’s Den….I eagerly await "Book Two" to continue the story.

"Awakening the Dragon" is quite intriguing and will have you also waiting to see what happens next. With few editing errors that do not distract, this story is raw energy. "Theresa Chaze and her writing are based on her philosophy that all people live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs." This is such a profound philosophy that would greatly benefit many. I often ask myself, "How does one know if what they personally believe is correct?" Life would be much less negative if everyone just accepted what the other believe to be correct for them and our own belief is correct for us, there is no wrong. In "Awakening the Dragon: Book One" you find yourself compelled to root for the characters and look at your own actions toward others.

Awakening the Dragon: Book One of the Dragon Clan Trilogy
Theresa Chaze
Valikyrie Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9780979840609
Reviewed by Danelle Drake for Reader Views (10/08)

Switcher

In this witty tale, Diane Mayer Christiansen, lets the reader know that it is indeed okay to be different. In fact, everyone is different in their very own way.

During the daytime, Samantha Schmealy is a normal little girl who spends her days playing alone as the closest neighbor is a mile away. As night comes, she wanders about the house and the woods, often visiting the neighbors….as a cat. One evening after roaming about, she returns home and is discovered by her parents. From this point on her world is torn upside-down and inside-out. She is quickly whisked off to the St. Levitius to begin her "readjustment." While there she learns she is not alone, that individuality is alright. The story twists and turns, keeping you drawn in. With a visit from the kindly neighbor, Samantha learns her life is not as it seems and thus begins her journey to find herself, as different as she may be.

Greatly recommended, this book teaches a much-needed character lesson in the form of an eccentric tale of a girl who is a cat. With creative characters and lots of action, it is a sure bet for the entire family. In fact, "Switcher" is going to be the very next book my family of six read aloud together. For her first book, Diane Mayer Christiansen has hit a home run!

Switcher
Diane Mayer Christiansen
Helm Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780980178036
Reviewed by Danelle Drake for Reader Views (10/08)