Jason Peek

Let me start by saying, this book is nearly 800 pages, so be warned, it is not a quick read, but believe me, it is worth it. The characters are engaging and human. They are not depicted as perfect, which makes it easier to connect with them and find them believable. One of my biggest pet peeves with reading any novel is when an author creates a character that is so far out of the realm of reality that there is no way a normal, average person like me can connect with them, as they have no flaws, nothing that makes them seem real and human.

I have come to realize that writing a really great fantasy novel is an art form, and it really is not as easy as creating characters that exist in another world, like fairies, witches, vampires and goblins. You cannot just throw magic into a bland story and expect it to be a fantastic epic fantasy novel. It is an art form that I can honestly and truthfully say that D.W. Hawkins has mastered in spades.

That is not the case in this novel, though. I was instantly able to connect with Dormael in this story. I could feel his feelings and hear what he heard, as the author makes great use of description to make the reader able to become a part of the story. While the book is long, the degree of detail given makes that necessary.

D.W. Hawkins makes great use of back story, without cramming it down your throat right at the beginning. It is spread out throughout the story, and you learn about the characters and get to really feel like you know them by the end of this novel.

I was able to feel the fury of the cousins when they found the little girl in the tower room, and the emotions were almost palpable as I read along in rapt horror at what you perceive has happened to the poor little Bethany.

Then, I felt as though I was travelling with the unlikely group of friends as they traveled throughout the world created in the story.

Okay, that's it. I am not telling you any more about the storyline itself, and you will have to read for yourself. From here forward, I will give you my thoughts about the writing in general, and hopefully I can convey to you how great this story was, enough so that you will want to read it and find out what is in store!

Overall, this was a novel that I could not put down. Every time I tried to walk away from it, I could feel the story and the characters calling to me, telling me that I had no idea what was coming next and I would just HAVE to keep reading to find out.

There were a few points where I was not sure where it was going or what exactly was happening, but somehow it always pulled together and made sense, even if it took a little while to get there. In my opinion, this is a must read, and I will reread this book many times and share it with my son, who is 8 years old and becoming a huge fan of fantasy.

For my rating scale, I am giving this a 5 star rating, well worth the money! I hope you will all enjoy the story as much as I did and do, and will continue too for many years to come! I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next, and anxiously await the next installment in this series, which I am told to expect some time in November of this year.

**DISCLAIMER** I was provided a copy of this story in E-Book format from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated in any way for this posting, and the opinions expressed here are my own.… (lisätietoja)

Let me start by saying, this book is nearly 800 pages, so be warned, it is not a quick read, but believe me, it is worth it. The characters are engaging and human. They are not depicted as perfect, which makes it easier to connect with them and find them believable. One of my biggest pet peeves with reading any novel is when an author creates a character that is so far out of the realm of reality that there is no way a normal, average person like me can connect with them, as they have no flaws, nothing that makes them seem real and human.

I have come to realize that writing a really great fantasy novel is an art form, and it really is not as easy as creating characters that exist in another world, like fairies, witches, vampires and goblins. You cannot just throw magic into a bland story and expect it to be a fantastic epic fantasy novel. It is an art form that I can honestly and truthfully say that D.W. Hawkins has mastered in spades.

That is not the case in this novel, though. I was instantly able to connect with Dormael in this story. I could feel his feelings and hear what he heard, as the author makes great use of description to make the reader able to become a part of the story. While the book is long, the degree of detail given makes that necessary.

D.W. Hawkins makes great use of back story, without cramming it down your throat right at the beginning. It is spread out throughout the story, and you learn about the characters and get to really feel like you know them by the end of this novel.

I was able to feel the fury of the cousins when they found the little girl in the tower room, and the emotions were almost palpable as I read along in rapt horror at what you perceive has happened to the poor little Bethany.

Then, I felt as though I was travelling with the unlikely group of friends as they traveled throughout the world created in the story.

Okay, that's it. I am not telling you any more about the storyline itself, and you will have to read for yourself. From here forward, I will give you my thoughts about the writing in general, and hopefully I can convey to you how great this story was, enough so that you will want to read it and find out what is in store!

Overall, this was a novel that I could not put down. Every time I tried to walk away from it, I could feel the story and the characters calling to me, telling me that I had no idea what was coming next and I would just HAVE to keep reading to find out.

There were a few points where I was not sure where it was going or what exactly was happening, but somehow it always pulled together and made sense, even if it took a little while to get there. In my opinion, this is a must read, and I will reread this book many times and share it with my son, who is 8 years old and becoming a huge fan of fantasy.

For my rating scale, I am giving this a 5 star rating, well worth the money! I hope you will all enjoy the story as much as I did and do, and will continue too for many years to come! I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next, and anxiously await the next installment in this series, which I am told to expect some time in November of this year.

**DISCLAIMER** I was provided a copy of this story in E-Book format from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated in any way for this posting, and the opinions expressed here are my own.… (lisätietoja)