A sprawling, engrossing fantasy that deftly explores Christian themes in a dramatic fashion.
Two siblings from Arkansas fight to survive in a magical world.
This debut novel follows in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis, creating a Christian allegory in a fantasy world. Twelve-year-old twins Chayse and Reed Leftwich are home alone while their adoring but overstretched mother is busy at work; their loving yet irresponsible father has moved out. Then a social worker shows up and takes them into custody. After a quick hearing, the twins are handed over to foster parents, but things get complicated when the couple take them from the Ozarks into another world, ruled by the Elfwitch. The Elfwitch demand that the twins hand over silver necklaces they were given by their mother. Reed refuses and is sent to prison while Chayse agrees and starts to follow the Elfwitch. Chayse learns about potions and the Elfwitch’s ambitions while Reed builds alliances with his fellow prisoners, breaks out of jail, and finds out about the new land’s problems. The people have turned their backs on the Judge who set down the Law and sent his Son as his representative, and the Elfwitch conspire to unseat the rightful queen. Chayse and Reed struggle to understand why everyone in this new world resembles people they know in Arkansas—including their parents—and eventually realize that defeating the Elfwitch and restoring the Judge’s rule are crucial steps in their quest to get back to their own realm. While the fantasy world’s Christian symbolism is not subtle (“So the Judge sent his Son. He said, ‘Surely, they will listen to my Son and return to the Law.’ But the people loved the Darkness more and called that the Light”), it is well integrated into the plot and the worldbuilding. Dramatic battle scenes, mysterious enchantments, monstrous creatures, and unfamiliar environments situate the story firmly in the fantasy genre, and the religious themes mesh with the plot. The writing is not entirely polished, but Cummins tells a solid and engaging story.
A sprawling, engrossing fantasy that deftly explores Christian themes in a dramatic fashion.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9798985392012
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
The latest historical by Irish bard Llywelyn (Red Branch, Druids, etc.) kicks off in the winter of 1602-03. And a cruel winter it is, following the sad defeat of Gaelic nationals at the Battle of Kinsale. As Llywelyn makes clear, the Gaelic people of Ireland spent (and, some would say, are still spending) centuries in combat with aggressors like the Vikings and Normans. But this novel is a paean to the last chieftain, Donal Cam, The O'Sullivan, who tried to stand up to the British under Elizabeth I. In fact, the jig is already up by the time the story here begins, since it follows Donal Cam's disastrous flight across Munster, Connacht, and Leitrim after the British victory. His famished, ragtag group of a thousand refugees, camp followers, clansmen, and soldiers diminishes to almost nothing by the time they reach safe harbor at O'Rourke Castle, and along the way there are dribbles of soap opera as well, just to keep the human interest going. The chieftain's antique aunt and uncle snip at each other lovingly; a cavalry man who's had to give up his horse turns traitor; a young couple falls in love while keeping warm under a hide; and we learn exactly why Donal Cam joined the revolt against the English—apparently, his bastard son got skewered by an enemy soldier. All this and harquebuses, not to mention Gaelophilia. What's more, it's perfect if forced marches are your thing.
Pub Date: June 21, 1992
ISBN: 0-688-10794-X
Page Count: 456
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
A well-crafted, supernatural pirate tale with a capable, young hero.
A young girl, the descendant of a famous pirate, joins a magic-filled adventure at sea in this launch of a prospective middle-grade series.
Avalina Jones has only hazy memories of her parents, who left her at a Louisiana orphanage six years ago. It turns out they were keeping their daughter, now 10, a secret for her own safety. A scoundrel named Del Maligno long ago vowed revenge against Davy Jones and has since targeted all his heirs. Avalina is the lone survivor. As per her late mother’s wishes, Avalina boards the Aquatiery, one of four schoolships for pirate heirs. The girl and her new friends study, and, like full-fledged pirates, they scrutinize maps and hunt for treasure. Avalina already has enough to worry about; legend says the evil Del Maligno can control the weather. There’s also a chance she’s got Davy Jones’ “Curse of Bad Luck.” Booting Avalina off the ship is evidently someone’s priority, and she soon becomes the No.1 suspect for an onboard murder. Adams’ pirate-centric story teems with entertaining bits of magic. If the students want to eat, they must first catch surprisingly mobile “enchanted food” (even salads). The author nevertheless zeroes in on winsome Avalina and her equally appealing fellow heirs. The narrative lingers on colorful descriptions of the ship’s decks (“rickety, crooked signs” in “sloppy white lettering”) as well as the surrounding ocean’s “pale blue water.” An unknown antagonist on the Aquatiery incites mystery (if Avalina isn’t the killer, then someone else surely is). While the ending satisfies, Adams leaves plenty to explore further in sequels, like Avalina’s ability to breathe underwater, which she keeps mum about.
A well-crafted, supernatural pirate tale with a capable, young hero.Pub Date: Nov. 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73713-120-5
Page Count: 366
Publisher: Spyhop Publishing
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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