WaterBrook Press (June 21, 2011)
This book clearly starts a new series and is presented to readers as if each one picking up the book is just being introduced to Amara and Chiril despite the fact that these worlds were created in a previous series by this author. Ms Paul does a highly commendable job of making this new series in an established world accessible to new readers without overwhelming her loyal fans who already understand the basics about the people and places with an avalanche of detail or bogging the story down with unnecessary ones or an initial scene setting trying to acclimate newbies in one fell swoop. Details appear as needed to clarify and explain things but are not just tossed in willy nilly. They are blended amongst the fabric of her plot so thoroughly that the reader doesn’t realize they are being fed the explanations that keep those niggling little questions of why or how at bay as you read. The colorful descriptions and characters draw readers in and attach them to the people, places, and events as in the previous book I’ve read by the same author, Dragonlight. Though I hadn’t read the previous books in that series, I was still able to follow the story to some extent and enjoy it though as a fantasy where I missed out on most of he world building I don’t suggest starting with book 5 of a series. This book however being separate from that series is a different situation and doesn’t require the backstory of the previous series though it would certainly make the experience of reading this book that much richer to have that background. Definitely a must read and I also look forward to reading the companion titles.(ISBN#9780307730114, 416pp, $13.99)
Codicil:
Visit Donita’s website. Click the cover for more info and to purchase a copy. Read an excerpt. Thanks to Blogging for Books for a review copy.
