Wendy Gillissen

In many, many ways Curse of the Tahiera is a book I love. The way that Gillissen interweaves the importance of the dreams of the characters to their development is wonderful. The world in which the characters inhabit is both familiar, but refreshing. The only jarring sensation I had through the first half was every time Rom or Yldich used one of the made-up words, I had to go to the back [to the glossary:] to figure out what it meant. I didn't have a real sense that I would understand the words if I just kept reading through and gleening from the text the meaning.

The story begins with how Rom and Yldich meet. Which is to say, Rom gets into a bloody fight and then meets Yldich while he's recovering and not listening to common sense (which seems to be a thing he does frequently). Yldich is older then Rom, but is the more laid back one. The one who isn't worrying so much about this or that not happening. Rom is rather intense, focusing so keenly on his dreams and what they mean that it consumes him at times. They come from two different races, but don't have trouble communicating.

Occasionally the narrative was a little stiff, but this was translated from another language and even the best translations fall short of the mark. It's often hard to capture the same lyrical quality or tone that an author uses in their original language when translating to English. I see the problem often when reading manga or translated japanese novels--you can't translate it word for word (due to differences in grammar and puncuation) and if you instead translate with the 'gist' of the intent you'll likely miss important clues without even realizing it.

The climax was in fact thrilling. Rom's journey as he connected the pieces in his dreams of the past to the now of the present came together and the choices made left me feeling satisfied. Not fully, I still have a great urge to read the sequel, The Search for Tzanata (due out this autumn according to the author's website) however.… (lisätietoja)

In the beginning, we meet Rom, a half-blood Tzanatzi outcast young man of nineteen. From the lack of true nurturing from his mother, as she feared him and his nightmares as many came true; daily abuse from a Lord he is assigned to serve; to just learning to fend for himself, survive and lay low from the Lord's men; it is safe to say Rom can represent something in all of us.

While Rom prepares to leave for a journey to sell his goods he encounters a middle-aged man named Yldich, an Einache "yaever", or dream walker, whom warns him of trouble on his route to the north. While Rom is not too thrilled for the company as he has always preferred to be alone in his life and travels, he does end up with Yldich's company for his trip.

On their way North, we discover there is more to Yldich's reason for `dreaming' of Rom, as this was his original reason for finding him. This reason slowly unfolds, as Rom learns more of Yldich. More importantly, Rom begins to learn who he is as his true background was lost to him. Rom starts his journey as friendless, distrustful, temperamental, shy, and fearful. He finds himself in a few life endangering situations, where his new companion rescues him and he slowly learns to trust in his new friend. He gains self-confidence and self-esteem and learns to open himself by allowing the good to come in, even though he feels he is tainted, even 'evil'.

When Yldich's home, `The House of the Deer' faces adversity, the story is full of action, suspense, camaraderie and meaning, especially when Rom faces his personal demons in the Underworld and barely makes it back alive. The Einache are surrounded by the South Army for holding Rom in their home, but a darker presence from an ancient curse threatens each and every one of them. Rom learns "If you acknowledge all that is in you, if you embrace it all, even the fear, the shame, the pain, then there's nothing to be afraid of. Not even death, then you're ready to fight."

Curse of the Tahiéra is a wonderfully written fantasy novel that carries deep meaning on a few levels. The characters are amazing; the scenery and descriptions were vivid without going on for pages; and this book captured me right away! For myself, I personally related to Rom with some of my own past issues and I connected with Yldich in many ways due to his wise ways of the power of intention and healing. I am anxiously awaiting Ms. Gillissen's sequel to this powerful story. I give this book five stars and recommend it to anyone that loves fantasy!

Ya'érsi! (Well Done!)… (lisätietoja)

Bound for the North through the forest of Gardeth, home of unnatural evil spirits, young Rom, a half Tzanatzi and half human boy, befriends both Yldich, an Einache Shaman, and Eald, an Einache boy. But this is no chance meeting. Little does Rom know that Yldich has had several Yaever dreams about him; dreams that will entwine their fates forever. Yildich believes that Rom can free the Einache people from a rising darkness of evil that has been brewing for five-hundred years, and yet Rom is a mere boy, without a clue to who he really is. He has so much to learn if he, and the Einache people are going to survive.

Together Rom, Yldich and Eald embark on a life changing odyssey as they are thrown into a new way of life, where the veil between his world and the underworld grows thinner each day, and people depend on him. Soon Rom is to learn that this spiritual journey will gain him the courage to learn things he never thought himself capable of, but sometimes uncovering buried secrets comes at a price. Will he be able to face his fears for the final battle and overcome the weight of the world that has been put upon his shoulders?

What a marvellous book. This is a coming of age, young adult tale, filled with a deep spiritual understanding, which I am positive has much to do with Wendy Gillissen's experience as a past life therapist, and her specialisation in dream-work. I found a few editing errors, such as characters "knitting their brows" one too many times, but overall the depth of Curse of the Tahiéra was so richly detailed with a structured plot, and a believable mystical setting, I found it hard to put down. It's been a long time since I've read a fantasy adventure like this and Wendy Gillissen has a style of storytelling that brims with imagination. It is layered with stories, within this story. She peppers words and expressions from the Tzanatzi /Einache languages throughout, but not in a way that distracts, as some books can. For your convenience these are explained at the back of the book, along with an artistic picture Gillissen drew of the lovable character, Rom. Personally I think this portrait is so good it needs to be moved to the front and not hidden away at the back. All in all the Curse of the Tahiéra is a clever debut novel, and the message is that with the understanding of our dreams anything is possible to achieve.… (lisätietoja)