The Secret of the Sacred Scarab by Fiona Ingram

This is a tale of two boys visiting Egypt and their mysterious adventure eminently suitable for the young and even mature reader.

This is a rousting adventure story for young readers. It had nothing inappropriate. There was violence but not overblown or dwelled upon. The characters were likeable and painted clearly. Ingram did a very insightful work on the young male psychic. She clearly captures the age appropriate disregard for safety and saneness. Her protagonists blithely fly into danger with little caution for the consequences.

It is refreshing to have an adventure story for this age group that has no vampires or wizards. The setting is aptly described. You’ll find yourself seeking out liquid refreshment as you sweat in the desert scenes.

Young Indiana Jones stand back and watch Adam and Justin steal your thunder. This is the first book in a series that is sure to please.

I highly recommend the book.

Body of work of Fiona Ingram

Web Site:

Rune Warriors The Sword of Doom by James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker

Their Backkk! Dane the Defiant, Klint the Raven and Astrid Mistress of the blade have returned. Dane discovers that fame and fortune are fleeting. His 15 minutes of fame dissolves is the mundane issues of protecting and leading a community.

Dane and company provide an enormous range of interesting characters. Dane finds himself and his friends in another quest complete with the requisite evil villains and outlandish monsters. The interplay between Dane and his friends provides comedic relief. Atrid’s support helps Dane maintain own resolution. A surprise ending just when you think all the scary stuff is over sets the stage for another book.

The authors did a nice job showing courage, cooperation, conflict resolution while interjecting age appropriate humor.

I recommend the book .

Body of work of James Jennewein
Body of work of Tom S. Parker

Web Site: http://www.runewarriors.net/home.htm
BTW, very cool web site.

Rune Warriors by James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker

This is a young adult saga involving a Viking quest. It has all the heroic quest features with creatures, sidekicks and villains.

This is a book that should play well with the young teen. It is an easy and quick read. The dialogue is not stilted with fake language. The characters are highly flawed and demonstrate normal immaturity. Dane the defiant has to deal with his own personal foibles while becoming a chief protagonist. Demonstrating how rivals can become friends is a positive aspect of the book. Astrid is a great role model for young women, demonstrating that women do not have to be victims. She shows that women can be skilled and frightening as warriors. (Anyone who is married should already realize that but keep in mind the book is written for kids.)

The authors did a nice job showing courage, cooperation, conflict resolution while interjecting age appropriate humor.

I recommend the book .

Body of work of James Jennewein
Body of work of Tom S. Parker

Web Site:
BTW, very cool web site.

The Light of Burning Shadows by Chris Evans

I liked Chris Evans second book better than her first. She has created a real Rubik’s cube of plots within plots. More villains have been added and some minor characters have been promoted to major characters. The second Star of power is to be found in a desert dominated by the legend of an evil sorcerer. The Iron Elves are once more the sharp point of the human empires bayonet. Three witches ride into battle with villains who oppose each other, who try and destroy the Iron Elves and capture the Star of Power.

The coming of age of Alwyn was inevitable and eventually dismaying. Konowa’s role was not demoted but was of less consequence in this book. Evans again provides enough detail to flesh out her characters into believable protagonists. The interplay and camaraderie again is inspiring and entertaining. Fans of Stirling and Drake will enjoy the military intereaction. I noted in my review of Evans first book that I felt she has the potential to build a band of brothers similar to Glen Cook’s Black Company. It was gratifying that a review by the Library Journal quoted on the dust jacket of this book suggests the same thing. A cautionary note, Evans doesn’t hesitate to kill off characters that you may have invested with empathetically. I felt the increased intricacy of the plot line and some startling revelations added to my predisposition to enjoy the book.

I enjoyed the book and am waiting not very patiently for the next.


October 17th to October 18th 2011

A Darkness Formed in Fire by Chris Evans

An agrarian society dominated by an Empire’s forces seeks salvation in falling stars. An outcast elf leads the Iron Elves, a military unit in the Empire employ. The outcast elf’s experiences as the Iron Elves fight both rebel forces and the mysterious and sinister Shadow Monarch fuel the action in this book.

I enjoyed the way Evans built her characters. She provided plenty of insight to the character’s motivation. All of the necessary pieces were available for a down and dirty fantasy adventure. I particularly liked the interplay between dwarf and dweeb. Konowa’s esprit de corps and his deep sense of responsibility for his men was admirable. His soul searching introspection and brooding kept him from being a stereotyped hero. The plot had a wealth of intricacy as far as plot is concerned. The invocation of an all abiding oath by the Iron Elves tied Konowa’s fate to soul searing revenge. The Iron Elves have the potential to grow into a band of brothers similar to Glen Cooks’ infamous Black Company.

I enjoyed the book and have already started the sequel, “The Light of Burning Shadow”

Body of work of Chris Evans

Review: http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/2008/05/darkness-forged-in-fire-chris-evans.html

Web site: nothing showed up

October 17th to October 18th 2011