Emissary

Book Review for the book titled Emissary by Thomas Locke

Written in a possible mid century type of style where wizards, mages, magic, mystery and a clouded past are just a part of the true underlying story of Hyam. Born and raised by a mother who did not birth him and a father who did not raise him casts shadows of uncertainty and an unresolved past of who Hyam really is. He has powers and can speak forbidden tongues of Milantian, Ashanti, and Elven even from an early age. It was told that anyone speaking or to be of Milantian blood would be killed on the spot. Hyam tries to understand who he is, where he is from and his uncertain future that bids of doom and prophecy.

Reading through the book from the first several chapters sent me in search of Ore as I turned each page. The character development was very well written and with each chapter I could see the characters forming in my imagination! Some of the writing could be better written with explaining how Hyam got from one town to another as in the beginning. It skips a bit without much detail on how the main character gets from one place to another.

Hyam, Joelle, Bryna as well as a flock of other interesting characters fill the pages with a deep sense of sorrow, wanting, and a lust to be free. The main characters could each have a separate book written about them and their races that would be just as fascinating as this book was. I will leave that to the author...

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend anyone who loves mythical, magical science fiction and fantasy! I received Emissary by Thomas Locke compliments of Revell Publishers and Edify Media Group for my honest review. I received this book for free with no monetary exchange either written or expressed for my sole review. Thomas Locke is the pseudonym for Davis Bunn as he launches into a new genre of novels for readers. Davis Bunn has long been a favorite author of mine and this was did not disappoint. Definitely one I would recommend to fans of novels like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Chronicles of Narnia. This is the first novel in the Legends of the Realms Series due out in January of 2015, with a teaser prequel The Captive out now! I can't wait for the sequel and once again this author has found a true treasure in this book lover's heart!

For more information about Emissary, Thomas Locke or where you can preorder a copy of Emissary today, please click on the links below:

Emissary by Thomas Locke

You can find Thomas Locke on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews, please visit Revell Publisher's website. 

Prophecy of The Flame

"In a blinding flash of light, five nondescript strangers are yanked from this world and thrust into a land of sorcery as they are granted the looks and abilities of the people they were playing. This band of wannabe heroes soon discovers that having the powers they have always dreamed of, does not make life a dream come true. The Crusaders of the Light struggle to form a cohesive band as they blend twentieth century technology with the supernatural powers of this new world, fighting to liberate the Kingdom of Cuthburan from the evil horde threatening humanity.

Battle is also raged within Reba, an ordinary housewife who has become the most powerful mage on the planet, as she struggles to remain true to her wedding vows. Drawn against her will to the arms of Prince Alexandros, Reba must choose between marriage to a handsome prince in a magical world, or returning to the husband she left behind." (excerpt from back cover)

In the novel, Prophecy of the Flame, written by Lynn Hardy my attention was immediately drawn into this wonderful storytelling of sorcery and magic!

I connected most definitely with the main character, Archmage Reba who has suddenly become the one the prophecy has described to save the Kingdom of Cuthburan and even possibly the human race on this planet. She is also caught between the prophecy claiming that the "flamed one" should marry the oldest royal prince, or has this prophecy been somehow manipulated over time to portray something more than what it is. Reba, Charles, Allinon, Jerik and Jamison are the main characters in the story who have been transported from their world to this new magical land with each having magical powers of their own to learn and master. Reba has been told of the coming war between another evil sorcerer and the demons he has unleashed into this land. Will the Prophecy hold true? Will the Crusaders of the Light triumph over evil and save the lands, nay the world? Then purchase The Prophecy of the Flame and read for yourself!

I was very pleased when I got into the first few chapters to have such a strong character development, plot and well written storyline. I cannot wait for the second book to come so I can read more of this series. Lynn Hardy has a great way of just plain old-fashioned good storytelling without having to over write, use long winded words, or over-dramatize the story. I like this kind of simple, yet powerful writing style that just gets you started on a journey you wish you could be in and not want to finish reading the last page.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and would recommend this one to any and all Sci-Fi, mythology, magic and medieval lovers who want to be thrust into a great story that will keep them entertained for days.

Thank you Lynn Hardy for writing such a mesmerizing book!

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Lynn Hardy with the express intent of my personal review only without any monetary gain or profit whatsoever. For more information on this book, the author or where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the link below:

Prophecy of the Flame by Lynn Hardy

The Luckless Prince

Every boy dreams of adventures as a child and Roland Fredrick is no different except that he happens to be a prince. He'd rather be off on a journey to some distant land, rescuing fair maidens and battling enemies with a sword as his book of legends has been sharing these stories of adventure with him.

However his father the King, Fredrick, is ill and it won't be long before Roland will be asked to assume the throne. For now, he is stuck with history lessons which bore him and sword lessons which appeal to the adventurer within. Even his squire, Stefan can't seem to educate him on the importance of studying. Roland would rather read and daydream about things he can't have.

Then opportunity presents itself to Roland when his father asks a local fur trader Jarome to sell some furs along a river town in Woodwatch Ferry. Seeing his chance for freedom, Roland is able to convince his father to let him journey down the river before it's too late and he won't be able to leave the castle. Fredrick relents and Roland is more than excited to go. Taking along Stefan for companionship and the voice of reason, their adventure begins.

However when dark forces learn that the kings only son is traveling along a river virtually unprotected, marauders launch an attack and soon only Stefan, Roland and Collyn Silverbrook are the only survivors. While their raft burns, they are left wounded and in need of medical care. With no supplies and in the dark of the forest, they are at a crossroads in their journey. Do they turn back to the castle or will they press on to the nearest city? What will Roland's father think when he hears news of the attack? Will this news push the king into an earlier grave? Or will this adventure turn out to be more than any of them ever imagined?

In the novel, The Luckless Prince, by Rie Sheridan Rose, Roland will get more than he ever bargained for when setting out on what he had hoped would be a simple expedition. Now lives will be placed in his young hands and decisions that will be costly will be his alone to make. This is a true coming of age story for a young man who still has to keep control of his emotions and is prone to anger easily. His companionship with his friend and squire Stefan will be placed to the ultimate test while the forces of the dark magic seek to destroy and control the land and kingdom.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Zumaya Otherworlds Publishers for my honest review. I was so drawn to this story of adventure because I believe within us all is our childlike sense of adventure. This book is similar to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy where we began our adventure with Frodo and Sam. Here the adventure begins with Roland and Stefan. In the end, the friends will need to work together using their strengths and weaknesses to overcome their greatest challenges. For those of you that love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, then you will LOVE this one! This book rates a stellar 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see what she writes next!

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

The Luckless Prince by Rie Sheridan Rose

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zumaya Otherworlds; large type edition edition (June 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161271014X
• ISBN-13: 978-1612710143
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Price: $13.25 Large Print Paperback / $ 6.99 Kindle Edition

You can also find more from Rie Sheridan Rose on Facebook by clicking here!

Halith

In Aessyra, war is imminent. The wise ponder the meaning of an ancient prophesy of destruction. Scattered across the land on fragments of parchment, these cryptic words consume them, spurring them into action...

But what if the wise are wrong?

Sixteen year old Halith only wants to meet her father, the High King, but her mother and a strange man have other plans for her. She is sent away for fosterage, 'for her own good'. Plans go astray, and Halith rails against her fate, longing to know who she really is in this world. As she begins her journey along the Way of the Warrior, she becomes entangled in the Third Great War, and learns the meaning of both friendship and betrayal.

In the novel, Halith by Kirsten Kelly, the adventure begins when Halith leaves her mother after learning they plan on marrying her to someone that she does not love. Fleeing in the middle of the night, taking nothing with her, she heads into the deep forest in hopes of remembering her way back to the Abbey that was home to her long ago.

Upon arriving she learns that if she does not want to go back to her mother and marriage plans then the Sister gives her the option of becoming a warrior. She aims to make her father proud and even though she is inexperienced under Captain Garrin, she hopes to earn her way in the world ridding the land of thieves and goblins to pay for her training. She is alone and though she remains strong, she still has a lot to learn before the war begins.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Kirsten Kelly for my honest review and was hooked from the very beginning. Reminiscent of Lord of the Rings but dealing with a young girl named Halith, trying to make it in a difficult world that is preparing for war among thieves, goblins, orcs, dwarves and elves, she will learn who she can trust and who will ultimately betray her. What makes the character unique is her strength, bravery and courage in the face of all that she comes up against. At sixteen, I know just leaving for a long journey alone not knowing what I would face, would have challenged me. Halith is a great character for young women to look up to.

This book is available in paperback and eBook formats and in my opinion rates a 5 out of 5 stars. The content is amazing, filled with detail and action on every page, you feel you are a quiet observer along for the ride of your life. For even more information about the book, the author and where to purchase a copy for yourself, click on the links below:

Halith by Kirsten Kelly

Kirsten Kelly lives in Miami, Florida where she enjoys kayaking, fishing, and travel. Like her characters, she lives for good friends, good food, and the next adventure. You can visit Kirsten Kelly’s website at www.pcwbooks.com