What do you think?
Rate this book
Rowan
*Please note - this book has been unpublished for the time being for some improvements. Thanks!*
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2011
3 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Howell
2 books11 followersWriter, Reader, Geek to the Core, Pen & Molskine Hoarder, Archaeologist, Lover of the color Orange, Love Anything Mysterious and Spooky.
I have two self-published books out so far.
I have two BAs - one in World Missions and one in Anthropology.
I have an MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Investigation from the U.K.
I've also been to Canada, Guam, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa (where I was bitten by a lion).
I have a dog named Phoenix who stole my heart the second I saw him at the airport. He's half husky, half golden retriever . . . black and blue with a little bit of tan and some spots of salt and pepper, he's got bright blue eyes.
You can find me at facebook.com/authorlaurenhowell
I have two self-published books out so far.
I have two BAs - one in World Missions and one in Anthropology.
I have an MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Crime Scene Investigation from the U.K.
I've also been to Canada, Guam, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa (where I was bitten by a lion).
I have a dog named Phoenix who stole my heart the second I saw him at the airport. He's half husky, half golden retriever . . . black and blue with a little bit of tan and some spots of salt and pepper, he's got bright blue eyes.
You can find me at facebook.com/authorlaurenhowell
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 20, 2014
Oh, it's just so sad when I see an idea with so much potential that falls short. The premise of the book is great. A high school student who finds out that her missing father is actually from another world and might not be dead (as she previously believed) goes on a quest to save him.
Unfortunately, how this story is told doesn't live up to such a great premise. Here is what kept me from enjoying this book.
1. The characters are all one dimensional and predictable. Our main character starts out all grumpy and mad at the world so that is how she acts through the whole thing. No changes occur at all. After reading this book I know nothing about her other than the fact that she has a bad attitude.
2. The opening scenes of this story don't have enough reality to ground me before we kick in to the fantasy aspect. With fantasy it's pretty much anything goes, however, if you start your story in the real world it must be real. Because the author has decided that the MC is surly we get no other emotional reaction from her when her house is broken into, her mom is drugged and unconscious in the living room and a dragon appears to her.
3. The author didn't flesh out some key points of the world. At one point the characters question whether Rowan is its own physical world (like in another galaxy) or just another dimension of Earth. The answer: No one knows. When a character in this story is asked how something works the answer is almost always "I don't know." As a reader I want to know. The characters don't have to know everything, but I felt like there weren't enough answers to make the world feel real.
4. Act 2 of this book doesn't really go anywhere. Anytime something exciting might actually happen (getting caught in a storm while riding a dragon, finding the hidden elven kingdom, learning how to fight) the MC either blacks out (really, this happens more than once) or the author just glosses over it. I felt like I was constantly being told, "Ok, enough of that, let's move on the the next scene."
I chose this book because it looked like a fun fantasy read. Unfortunately, I feel that this book is a few drafts away from being ready for the public. There are some great ideas and story nuggets here that I think with a few more passes could have been something really special.
Unfortunately, how this story is told doesn't live up to such a great premise. Here is what kept me from enjoying this book.
1. The characters are all one dimensional and predictable. Our main character starts out all grumpy and mad at the world so that is how she acts through the whole thing. No changes occur at all. After reading this book I know nothing about her other than the fact that she has a bad attitude.
2. The opening scenes of this story don't have enough reality to ground me before we kick in to the fantasy aspect. With fantasy it's pretty much anything goes, however, if you start your story in the real world it must be real. Because the author has decided that the MC is surly we get no other emotional reaction from her when her house is broken into, her mom is drugged and unconscious in the living room and a dragon appears to her.
3. The author didn't flesh out some key points of the world. At one point the characters question whether Rowan is its own physical world (like in another galaxy) or just another dimension of Earth. The answer: No one knows. When a character in this story is asked how something works the answer is almost always "I don't know." As a reader I want to know. The characters don't have to know everything, but I felt like there weren't enough answers to make the world feel real.
4. Act 2 of this book doesn't really go anywhere. Anytime something exciting might actually happen (getting caught in a storm while riding a dragon, finding the hidden elven kingdom, learning how to fight) the MC either blacks out (really, this happens more than once) or the author just glosses over it. I felt like I was constantly being told, "Ok, enough of that, let's move on the the next scene."
I chose this book because it looked like a fun fantasy read. Unfortunately, I feel that this book is a few drafts away from being ready for the public. There are some great ideas and story nuggets here that I think with a few more passes could have been something really special.
August 12, 2016
I just read a book with hundreds of characters I know nothing about. And the fact is, I wanted to know about them! The idea behind this book was great, but slow down and tell the story!
The crew spent 43 days in combat training, and we knew more about the time they spent weeding a garden.
Without giving away spoilers, the revelations weren't surprising, even though the idea was great, because everything was surprising as it was missing the proper backstory. Three worlds and twice as many kingdoms deserved more time and information.
Loved the idea and story. Wish it was presented differently.
The crew spent 43 days in combat training, and we knew more about the time they spent weeding a garden.
Without giving away spoilers, the revelations weren't surprising, even though the idea was great, because everything was surprising as it was missing the proper backstory. Three worlds and twice as many kingdoms deserved more time and information.
Loved the idea and story. Wish it was presented differently.
Read
January 27, 2012No Rating as I did not finish this one. I only got 6% in to the book. I usually give them more of a chance but this one started off so ridiculous that there was no way I was going to believe anyhting about the main character. We start off with a high school girl who sees her mother drugged by a strange man. She then calmly sits with this man and he tells her that he is from another realm, he is a dragon and her father was also from this realm. She shows little reaction while her mother still lays drugged on the floor. Really?
January 10, 2012
Rowan is the story of Kelly Foster, who seems like your average high school student. After all, she has all the characteristics of a typical teenager. At least as I remember exhibiting them! She manipulates her mother, struggles with socialization, and kicks butt at basketball. Yet there’s one things that sets Kelly apart: her Dad died and he’s never coming back.
That’s what she believes, anyway, until an orange Converse-wearing man shows up at her house and knocks her mother unconscious. He quickly introduces himself as Jacinth from the land of Rowan and he claims to be a dragon. Apparently the orange Chucks help him to maintain human form.
What’s even more interesting is that Jacinth shares with Kelly that her father is also from Rowan and one of three Scimerians, or Shimmering Ones, left in the land. One of them is on the side of good, but the other Helel Ben Shahar declared himself king of Rowan and has been destroying the dragons and releasing magic from the land to ensure his own ultimate power. He’s also sealed off the gateways to Rowan, attempting to keep those who would stop him from entering the realm.
Kelly doesn’t emphasize with Jacinth or his cause. Until he shares that Kelly’s father might still be alive and could play a pivotal role in stopping Helel. What’s more, Kelly may be the only one who can find him.
In order to return to Rowan, Jacinth, or Jake as he likes to be called, and Kelly need to find an open Gateway. Jake explains that the pendant that Kelly’s Dad gave to her can be combined with one other artifact, a sword, which would allow them to open their own gateway anywhere.
Their epic journey takes them to a jungle island, the lost city of Atlantis, by way of Stonehenge, and finally to Rowan itself. They manage to add to their cause along the way, recruiting the mysterious Sky,the ornery Tyler, and the quirky Henry, the talking cat. In the end, they’ll find out that there’s a traitor in their midst, but who is it? Will they survive the battle with Helel? What about Kelly’s father?
As a die-hard Fantasy-genre lover of old, I couldn’t wait to download Rowan to my Kindle. The book cover pulled at me from the first, encouraging me to start
reading. Initially, I didn’t know if Kelly and I would be able to bond. After all, she had a bit of an attitude at the beginning. However, that quickly ended up being what I liked the most about her.
Kelly is gutsy and she really doesn’t put up with much from her fellow travelers, transitioning easily into a leadership role among the group. Often in this genre and age group, we are treated to female characters who lack the strength to carry the story and captivate the reader. What’s more interesting is the parallel storyline about Kelly herself, that is only hinted at, where we begin to see glimpses of Kelly and the power that she herself possesses.
This is an excellent start for Lauren and I look forward to reading her work again in the future. If you or your family are looking for an interesting fantasy read with unique characters and an intriguing storyline, Rowan is the read that you’ve been looking for!
That’s what she believes, anyway, until an orange Converse-wearing man shows up at her house and knocks her mother unconscious. He quickly introduces himself as Jacinth from the land of Rowan and he claims to be a dragon. Apparently the orange Chucks help him to maintain human form.
What’s even more interesting is that Jacinth shares with Kelly that her father is also from Rowan and one of three Scimerians, or Shimmering Ones, left in the land. One of them is on the side of good, but the other Helel Ben Shahar declared himself king of Rowan and has been destroying the dragons and releasing magic from the land to ensure his own ultimate power. He’s also sealed off the gateways to Rowan, attempting to keep those who would stop him from entering the realm.
Kelly doesn’t emphasize with Jacinth or his cause. Until he shares that Kelly’s father might still be alive and could play a pivotal role in stopping Helel. What’s more, Kelly may be the only one who can find him.
In order to return to Rowan, Jacinth, or Jake as he likes to be called, and Kelly need to find an open Gateway. Jake explains that the pendant that Kelly’s Dad gave to her can be combined with one other artifact, a sword, which would allow them to open their own gateway anywhere.
Their epic journey takes them to a jungle island, the lost city of Atlantis, by way of Stonehenge, and finally to Rowan itself. They manage to add to their cause along the way, recruiting the mysterious Sky,the ornery Tyler, and the quirky Henry, the talking cat. In the end, they’ll find out that there’s a traitor in their midst, but who is it? Will they survive the battle with Helel? What about Kelly’s father?
As a die-hard Fantasy-genre lover of old, I couldn’t wait to download Rowan to my Kindle. The book cover pulled at me from the first, encouraging me to start
reading. Initially, I didn’t know if Kelly and I would be able to bond. After all, she had a bit of an attitude at the beginning. However, that quickly ended up being what I liked the most about her.
Kelly is gutsy and she really doesn’t put up with much from her fellow travelers, transitioning easily into a leadership role among the group. Often in this genre and age group, we are treated to female characters who lack the strength to carry the story and captivate the reader. What’s more interesting is the parallel storyline about Kelly herself, that is only hinted at, where we begin to see glimpses of Kelly and the power that she herself possesses.
This is an excellent start for Lauren and I look forward to reading her work again in the future. If you or your family are looking for an interesting fantasy read with unique characters and an intriguing storyline, Rowan is the read that you’ve been looking for!
August 25, 2012
I found the story to be exciting enough to read it from beginning to end in a very short while. The story itself was good - and I enjoyed it.
The idea of a girl suddenly being asked to join a boy on an adventure who claims to be a dragon caught my attention - add in Atlantis and a magical world, and I was willing to give it a shot. It was a fun story that hummed along at a good pace so you stayed around in spite of the many grammar errors and abrupt scene changes, unless you really get offended by editing issues .... such as the dwarves going to rescue the dwarves (instead of the elves).
There were also a lot of spots that left me shaking my head ... she got dropped into the ocean in the middle of a storm and still had her back pack with the dragons shoes when she woke up on the shore? Wouldn't it have drug her under and drowned her? or maybe have been dropped to the bottom of the ocean?
I never really figured out the scenes with the tree houses with Sky either ... it needed more, or maybe less.
It has a lot of potential. It is a great story, just needs a tad more polishing for readability.
For Full Review: http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com/...
The idea of a girl suddenly being asked to join a boy on an adventure who claims to be a dragon caught my attention - add in Atlantis and a magical world, and I was willing to give it a shot. It was a fun story that hummed along at a good pace so you stayed around in spite of the many grammar errors and abrupt scene changes, unless you really get offended by editing issues .... such as the dwarves going to rescue the dwarves (instead of the elves).
There were also a lot of spots that left me shaking my head ... she got dropped into the ocean in the middle of a storm and still had her back pack with the dragons shoes when she woke up on the shore? Wouldn't it have drug her under and drowned her? or maybe have been dropped to the bottom of the ocean?
I never really figured out the scenes with the tree houses with Sky either ... it needed more, or maybe less.
It has a lot of potential. It is a great story, just needs a tad more polishing for readability.
For Full Review: http://oscarlettreviews.blogspot.com/...
March 13, 2012
Kelly Foster is a teenage high school student. Ever since her father disappeared she has stopped caring much about life. But that could change when a dragon called Jacinth disguised as a human turns up at Kelly’s house and tells Kelly, that he can help Kelly find her father. Jacinth tells Kelly that her father is from another world, a magical world called Rowan. Kelly’s father is one of the three last men who can wield the magic. They are called the Scimerians or the shimmering ones.
Kelly starts out on a magical adventure with Jacinth to find her father, meeting many interesting fantasy characters and places.
This is a Young Adult fantasy novel. The author Lauren Howell has got some great ideas and the story as got potential to develop and it will be interesting to see these ideas progress and develop over the series.
Kelly starts out on a magical adventure with Jacinth to find her father, meeting many interesting fantasy characters and places.
This is a Young Adult fantasy novel. The author Lauren Howell has got some great ideas and the story as got potential to develop and it will be interesting to see these ideas progress and develop over the series.
July 20, 2012
I think this is a great first book for a new young author. There were a few sections that were hard to determine at first who was actually speaking. But I know the author and was told personally that she had not had the book edited or proofread. Knowing that information, I think she did a great job. Her descriptions of her characters and the scenery are graphic and beautiful. And the reason behind the whole story surprised me. I give this book a thumbs up!!
May 7, 2016
I know this book is less than up to par. It's my first and I had no idea what I was doing (obviously), no money for an editor, etc. I'm not saying this to say "woe is me". I'm just throwing the truth out there. I am currently reworking "Rowan", it will be longer and hopefully better put together and believable.
April 19, 2012
Nice quick read, great story line, could possibly have been drawn out more for a longer book. My only issue is with the editing, there's so many spaces missing, words in the wrong order and such like which breaks the flow of reading.
February 6, 2012
Good story, understandable for young readers, but so many errors that a good proofreader could fix!
Want to read
May 18, 2012BLARGH! I can't read through the typos on the kindle. So distracting. Thought that a good plot would be worth it, but at 15% and 300+ errors I gave up before I threw the kindle across the room!
March 2, 2012
Pretty typical modern fantasy novel
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews