Amulet

DragonBlade #1

by Nancy Lee Parish

A different kind of fantasy adventure.When Tristan finds an amulet, he has no idea how much his life is about to change. When his amulet awakens the evil of another amulet, long thought lost, it is all of Ranaria that hangs on the brink. The black crystal has stirred.There are those who seek its power and there are those who seek its destruction. There are also those who know its secrets.Even with dragons on his side, is there enough time for Tristan and his companions to stop that which has been unleashed?With many twists and turns, a story unfolds that will keep you guessing until the very end.Expect the unexpected.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Young Adult, Fiction, Ebooks, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

503 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2011

Reviews

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a complex story about people known as the Ranarian's and their wizard overlords, the Ecli. Due to events long past, some powerful and evil crystals, amulets, dragons and other strange beings the story evolves into multiple stories surrounding multiple characters. The characters themselves are wonderful and it is easy to keep turning page after page in anticipation of what will happen next.

This is now my favourite fantasy novel. The author hasn't "dumbed down" the storyline so the book is quite long but this only made me enjoy it more. I love that there are lots of different twists and turns and yet it is all held together beautifully. What's even better is that there will be more books in the series!

[Nicole Storey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taken from my blog at nicolestorey.wordpress.com

This book is newly published by my friend and fellow author, Nancy Lee Parish. It is called “Amulet” and is the first (but thankfully NOT the last) in her DragonBlade series. Before you read anymore of this review, I want you to STOP. That’s right, stop reading this and open a new screen on your computer and BUY THIS BOOK! It is available in e-book form right now; here are the links:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0066HCK9K

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

Now, for all of you who don’t have an e-reader, I suggest you ask for one from Santa! But, do not worry, as the paperback version of Nancy’s book should be available this week! Just keep checking on Amazon.

This book is very long; at 500 pages and 170 chapters, it is almost the size of two, full-length novels, but trust me, every word of this book is needed and I was never bored when reading it-NOT ONCE! As a matter of fact, it was hard to put down and caused me several late nights with hardly no sleep, but it was so worth it!

“Amulet” is a book for young adults and teens and is in the fantasy genre. I can honestly say that it has been a long time since I read such a fine piece of literary magic. The book flows like water through a stream and just pulls you along; you have no choice but to follow and you will want to! This book grabbed me by the throat on the first page and never let go! It is amazing to me how a writer can take 500 pages of words and write them in such a way that the reader cannot put the book down. I just had to see what was going to happen next, and after that, and after that!!!

There are many characters in the story and I will have to ask the author how she managed to give each one of them their lives and unique personalities like she did (although she will probably not share that secret with me, LOL!); by the end of the book I knew each one of them by heart and felt like I had known them all my life. That is no easy feat in a book as long as this one is and with so many characters doing many different things and taking on adventures every other page! Each character managed to have a story all of their own in this book, and yet they call came together to create a wonderful concoction that resulted in an explosive mixture of honor, betrayal, action, and love…always love. Did I mention that there are dragons and a wizard-dog, as well? These animals, too, are just like the other characters in that they have their own special powers and personalities, they talk, and will make you laugh, cry, and cheer them on! I never wanted a dragon until after I read this book!

In the story, we have a boy named Tristan who finds an amulet. Unknowingly, his amulet awakens another dark amulet with incredible power. There are those who want to destroy this dark amulet and those who want it for its power. Tristan bands with wizards and dragons to try and destroy the dark amulet and the one who finally gains possession of it. This story has many unexpected turns and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen, I found out that I was wrong! LOL! This is the kind of story that I love, one that keeps me guessing til the very end.

This story would be wonderful for kids ages 10-92! It teaches many important lessons and there is no one hero in this book. I really liked that part because kids learn that when they work together as a team, they can all be heroes. In my opinion, this series rivals that of Harry Potter and I believe kids everywhere will soon be shouting for another author and waiting on pins and needles to get their hands on her next book in the series-Nancy Lee Parish!

So trust me when I say this; if you have a child that loves to read, PLEASE get them this book for Christmas. It will be the best present they will receive and will give them many hours of enjoyment. I already have plans to get my paperback copy AND mine will be signed, as well, so naaa-naaa-na-na-naaah! LOL! I am so proud to be able to say that Nancy is my friend and one day I will be one of the very lucky ones who gets to say that “I knew her when…” She’s going to be very famous and you heard it here first!

**P.S. I just want to say that this is the hardest review I have ever had to write on a book. There were just so many things that I loved about “Amulet” and no words that I type about it will ever do it justice. You simply have to buy the book and read it yourself to understand where I am coming from. Many of you might say, “Oh well, you write all this positive stuff about the book because the author is your friend”. It is true that Nancy is a dear friend of mine, BUT, I have many writer friends and have done numerous reviews on some of their books. They are all very talented! However, this is the only book so far that has thrown me for a loop and left me not knowing what to say about it. THAT is how good it is. Also, let me say that Nancy has JUST published this book a few days ago and I had no idea what it was about or anything until I read my copy of it. She was very “hush-hush” about her book (which drove me crazy!) and all I knew about it was that there were dragons in it. J.K. Rowling, you’d better watch your back with this one! :)

[Dannye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly Orchestrated Tale

Amulet, book one of the DragonBlade Series by Nancy Lee Parish sated both the little child and the adult in me with its intriguing characters and adventurous spirit. The author's pacing of this story is superb. She always leaves the reader wanting more, giving you just enough pieces of the puzzle to stimulate your curiosity and keep you reading until the very last page.

Fantasy books can be difficult for some readers because of the author’s need to invent places, things, philosophies, and a way of life totally unfamiliar to the reader. In Amulet, Parish settles into a comfortable balance between the story and the fictional world.

There are many conflicts going on in Amulet. The most obvious and long-lasting is the one which pits the Ecli, the dark wizards who rule all of Ranaria and live in the city of Dardanos, against the Volanari insurgents. Beyond this is the conflict among the four wizards known as the Ecli. Each has their own agenda. Among the Ranarians there are those who are linked to the Ecli and to other wizards of old. Among this group, there is a desperate desire to survive the Ecli and regain their freedom, but it means taking risks unlike any they have ever considered in the past. It means believing in the reality of things thought only to be fairy tales. It means trusting those once thought to be their enemies to fight the creations and the pull of the dark crystal.

I don’t know that there is one main character in this book. It is more like an ensemble, which is in harmony with the theme of the story. Thus, the reader gets a chance to know the characters more through their interactions with each other rather than through the author’s unveiling of their internal psychology.

Parish keeps you on your toes trying to second guess where the story is taking you. One of her characters perhaps explains it best: “Sometimes things happen for a reason, and it ain’t always apparent what that reason is when it’s happenin’.” [Thoral]

Amulet is part of the DragonBlade Series, and I look forward to seeing where the dark crystal leads us.

Reviewed for Breakthrough Bookstore

[mirba · Rating 2 out of 5]

first of all let me say that i really tried to get this book finished.
But it just annoyed the heck out of me. It's only because I'm stuck in bed with fewer that I got to finish it.

I could see that the author took some effort writing it, and I'm really saddened by giving this bad review, cause really, the idea behind the book is quite interesting, and if written better it would be worth a 5 star easily.

But....
The storyline is a mess. All things that happens are rushed, badly described and with no start or ending. All the timeline is confused and messed up.
The characters are flat, unimpressive and they simply not take life in my opinion. The dialogues are quite terrible, seems like all the characters are speaking with the same inflections (only exception to this in Thoral and the dog. The female kids all behave the same, and one disappears the other one goes on behaving like the first one and speaking like the first one)
While the political interactions of the characters seems clear enough (I liked that the bad guys had their own problems with morals) and it would have been great to read about it, it was not used to its full potential.
The creation of the dragons is confusing also. first they say they're created from an amulet, then they have a dragon mother? They are supposedly attached to their "creator", but then they don't seem to have any real emotional bond. and how does it work exactly? is it supposed to be only 12 dragons (one for each amulet)? so if a new owner of the amulet creates a new dragon, is the old one destroyed? and how did it word that if only descendants of each original family line is capable of carring that specific amulet, Celeste is able to create the black dragon with blue eyes (liked that one really much)?

What I kept seeing in this book is a great potential, and that's why it annoyed the heck out of me. What could have been a great book, is now just an ok one, it looked often like the author just wrote it in one go and never reread it.

i do really hope that Ms Parish will go on practicing writing and writing again, cause at some point I would like to see this book rewritten.

[Ed Drury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books and I am anxiously awaiting book two in the series. Currently re-reading it. Here is the review I wrote for it on Amazon after the first read.

The relationships the Ecli have with each other and the Ranarians is quite complex and holds many secrets. As the book unfolds it's epic saga, the reader starts to appreciate the complexities the author has woven into the story. There are many surprises, twists and turns that make Amulet a real page turner. I found it a hard one to put down as I read it over about three days.

I really enjoyed all the characters in this book, but for me the dog Bub was probably the greatest. Bub has a great sense humor, an insatiable appetite and unsuspected powers. I also enjoyed the personalities of the dragons.

I also appreciated that although most sword and sorcery tales end with the big battle scene, the actual final battle between the forces of good and evil was not some drawn out gratuitous apocalyptic narration filling multiple chapters. I often find these epic battles tedious in this genre. There is plenty of action throughout the entire book, sprinkled among the revelations, puzzles and mysteries. What was needed was resolution to the various puzzles and mysteries in the stories of these characters. What is not answered in battle is supplied in the conclusion. Masterfully too!

Great sword and sorcery book with lots of interesting characters. I enjoyed it greatly. I'd recommend the book to anyone who loves this genre as an entertaining and heart warming story with fantastic characters that will surprise you as you learn more about them and their relationships to each other.

[Collette Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

In keeping with an epic tale like The Lord of the Rings, Amulet is a fantasy for ages young adult to adult in which an ensemble cast sets out to save the world. With dragons, elves, wizards, and humans, it is an entertaining mix of excellent character development and interesting conflicts that kept me turning pages. The novel is fairly long, but the pace continued forward and contained little filler. Once you caught a grasp of which character was who in the large and detailed cast, you progressed smoothly through the story. The author did a fantastic job in tying in all the curious pieces and giving just enough away to keep you in the loop. The climax was concluded in much the same manner. All questions were answered, our heroes learned their roles and accepted them, and the final question?…Will good triumph over evil with the help of the amulet? You will have to read to find out! I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written and adventurous story, and I’m sure many in the future will too.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.... Really enjoyed the story.

[Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wizards, Dragons, Riders, Elves, Dwarves and…. a dog?! No, really!!

LOTR have captivated the hearts of millions, young and old alike. But when you get the chance to read the Amulet, you’d think Frodo’s quest and embattled journey has been extended. But Tristan – the main starring role – is a lot different from the hobbits.

Tristan and Andra, together with their dragons, Thunder and Clare, will take you to a world where dogs talk in their heads and wizards have power over earth, fire, water and air.

You’ll surely love the characters in Nancy Lee Parish bestseller. The Ecli – Krill, Solerin, Trubac, Seneca – the awesome foursome – each had dark secrets and each has a story to tell. The peasants (Elias, Darius, Thoral), the Elves (Liander, Marin, Belka), the Dwarves and many others – there’s nothing else to do but to love every one of them. The dragons themselves will take you high up in the sky, wishing you were with them in the Tavern, drinking with peasants and falling in love … dreamy, right?

Wait till you get the whole story. Lots of twists and turns. Expect the unexpected. Know your enemies. Stay close with your friends. Eat yummy sausages with gravy.. Oh yes, you’re gonna need a lot of energy to be able to fly with them dragons..

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review on Amazon:

To be honest this book would never have been one that I would have picked up on my own. I have never been a huge fan of fantasy type of books. They normally take much more imagination and ability to believe in the unbelievable than I seem to be able to muster up. I loose my attention to this type of book pretty easily due to the unrealistic fantasy worlds. But I bought this book based on the recommendation of a close friend.

Upon downloading this book I began to flip through it. The first thing I noticed was how long it was. That scared me, thinking of how long I would have to force myself to stay with this book. As I started reading this book, it immediately caught my attention. It was a fantasy, with dragons and all, but the people seemed real with real lives. People you could relate to in some way or another. The story draws you in and you immediately feel like you are there with these people, feeling their feelings, traveling with them along the way in their journey through this book. The author does a wonderful job of descriptions of character, places, sounds, action, suspense, happiness, sadness, fear, anger, pain, surprise, betrayal.... all the way through the book. She doesn't just "tell" the story but she involves your senses and emotions. I found myself lost for hours while reading this book, and wanting to stay lost there for a just a while longer.

There has never been any other fantasy type of book that I EVER remember reading that had me fixated like this book had. I found myself thinking about this book throughout the day -- wanting to find time to get back to it -- needing to read another chapter or two, just to find out what was going to happen next -- the disappointment at the end of the book, not because the ending was bad, but simply because it was ending. I had a feeling like I was saying good bye to close friends or family that I didn't know if I were going to see again.

I enjoyed this book more than I can express in words as I am not a writer, merely a reader. I can tell you that I will never regret purchasing and reading this book. I made new friends while reading this book the first time, will go back to visit them again when I read it a second and third time. That is one of the greatest things about a book written like this, if you go back and reread it you will see new details you didn't notice the first time... maybe even notice a character you did not pay much attention to the first time you read it...making a new friend!

I can't tell anyone to "Go buy this book, you will absolutely LOVE it!". That is a decision you would have to make for yourself. But I can tell you this..... Go buy this book, you will never know what you are missing until you do.

This is a truly captivating story told in a way that will made me want to never put it down.

[Paul Martin Schofield · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started Amulet I had to remind myself that it was fantasy; strange and unusual things happen without actual scientific principles to back them up. That took some getting used to but I finally made the transition - anything can happen in fantasy. And then I ran into dragons. Aren't dragons supposed to be big, mean, fire-breathing monsters? Here I was face to face with baby dragons and I have to admit, they were... cute. And then children entered the story, some very young, along with older people, and wizards, elves, animals, insects, and other creatures - some good, some evil. And then it happened; I realized I was hooked. The story wove an intricate web of fascination and wonderment that continued to draw me in. Parish is a great storyteller and it was difficult to put the book down.

The storyline has a nice smooth flow and I appreciate the fact it is written in third person which allows for the development of grand and intricate scenes that must be observed from different points of view. The author does this effectively and the fantastic settings easily form in your imagination. Character development was gradual without distracting info-dumps and I found myself growing to love and care for the differing characters - or hating some of them. Amulet is exciting, well written, and well edited making it a fun read and one that is easy to get lost in without interruption.

The author, Nancy Lee Parish, has succeeded in a most important way: she causes you to become emotionally involved with the characters. She makes you laugh, she makes you cry, she makes you cheer at the end. And, yes, there are big, mean, fire-breathing dragons in it, too. Fantasy lovers will not be disappointed.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story. Just when you think you've got everything figured out, there is another twist that takes this book to another later of complexity and greatness.
The Ecli are tyrannical rulers, only interested in enslaving the people and continuing their power, at least until new dragons appear, beast from ancient legend.These wonderful creatures suddenly put into question of who is right and who is wrong.

[Lisa Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story. I really like that the antagonist(s) is(are) not the typical, dualistic evil-wizard-that-must-be-killed-to-save-the-world. I love the dragons and Bub. I most like the interactions and relationships between the people who just try to figure out what is right as they go along.

In full disclosure, I liked the book so much I wrote the author and offered to help proofread.

[Heather Mahley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amulet is a great fantasy novel. i could not put it down always telling myself just one more chapter.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing I thought of after reading this book is Tolkien. I'm not comparing Amulet's author with Tolkien, but was just struck with the idea that if an author of Tolkien's caliber had written a book based on the premise of Amulet, I would have had a more satisfying read. As it is, Amulet's author Nancy Lee Parish did okay in telling her tale, so the whole reading experience was just okay. But with a grand plot such as hers, imagine how it would have achieved fullness in the hands of an epic master like Tolkien and maybe Robert Jordan, or Terry Brooks, Garth Nix, Neil Gaiman, Orson Scott Card, Sussane Clarke...et al. It's like going on a fun vacation to your favorite destination, but would have been more enjoyable if it was an all-expense paid trip!

The Amulet have the promise of a fantastic journey. There are dragons, wizards, witches, and other fabled creatures. There are 12 crystals in existence to fit 12 amulets of power. They have to be gathered together to form one weapon- the blade of fury- needed to defeat an evil force from the pit of blackness deep beneath the mountains of the dwarves . That evil takes the form of a dark dragon, borne in upon a 13th amulet made of dark crystal. The premise takes on a grand scale, and too many characters are introduced at the onset it makes me forget easily who some of them were. I have to backtrack many times to check who they are to sort out my confusion. I felt that not everyone's given the essence they deserve. The main players could have used more beefing up, so they could be more unforgettable. There are some scenes I hoped were stretched out just so I could savor the moment, but it rushes right into the next scene. This, however, can be comfortably taken as fast-paced instead of the condensed form that I feel it is.

The strength of the story lies in the way the author controlled the events and characters, unfolding sub-story lines that thickens and zeroes in towards the ultimate scene. The twists near the end where I keep guessing the wrong outcomes were interesting. They really were welcome surprises, if you managed to grasp all the information revealed in the early part of the story. Also appealing was how the bad guys are not beyond hope; how they learned to work with the protagonists and rely on one another to accomplish a common & desperate need. As the first of The Dragonblade series. Amulet is a good attempt on an epic tale. I look forward to Parish's growth as an author, and her production of a more solid sequel.

[John Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

First let me say that I got this book because I loved the cover. It's simple but powerful and elegant. The gold over blue catches the eye and the artwork of the dragon amulet is perfect. :)

Amulet is a fast-paced book. This story captures interest from the very beginning. From there, the story unfolds with interesting characters and settings. It took me a little while to get used to the shifting viewpoints where one paragraph would be from inside one character's head and the next from another's. The chapters are very short based largely upon switching locations, but I enjoyed this aspect.

The story is based around a young man named Tristan, but every character in the book is a vital part. I like that it's not a one person save the world story. An unusual character named Bub is one of the highlights of the story.

The best part is the dragons. They each have their own unique personalities and strengths. The first appearance is filled with mystery and then you get to know them well. My favorite is the big dragon at the end that's afraid of flying.

The humor and wordplay is a strength in the book with well written dialogue. I enjoyed the characters, even the bad guys who were much more complex than just good vs. evil.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, especially with dragons.

[Tania Johansson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was probably more the cover than anything else that drew me to this one. I wasn't sure what to expect from the story.

Amulet tells a intricate tale of adventure. Although I thought the second half of the book was definitively the better half, the whole story kept me reading and guessing right to the end. A few good twists with plenty of action and suspense makes for a great read.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Laura of Lurking · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up when it was free, and am glad I did. It had a good magic system that was implemented expertly. The plot had many unexpected twists, people constantly changing sides. As a result of this and unusual names for many of the large cast it could be hard to keep track of events. This however detracted little from the plot. Short chapters made this an textbook to pickup for a five minute break... putting it down proved to be considerably harder

I can't wait to read the sequel

[Greta Burroughs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded Amulet a long time ago but did not get around to reading it until now. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am sorry I took so long to read it. I love fantasies and Nancy's depictions of dragons, magic and adventure were right up my alley. The story flowed smoothly from one scene to the next and it was very well formatted and edited.
I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.

[Sara Sword · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was completely predictable and boring the entire way through. Any interesting story lines immediately got solved, and there was too much going on at times. It seemed like the author was trying to make a book to turn into a tv series, with all the short-stories and quick endings. I will NOT be reading the sequel.

[Jackie G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Great characters, lots of action and wonderful dragons. There is never a dull moment in this great book, it was hard for me to put down. The visuals were perfect. Excellent. I highly recommend this read.

[Gloria Meadows]

Really entertaining. Read it out loud to my kids & they loved it too.

[Wawan Setiawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good idea of story about dragon.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the sequel, it was well written with a story I could get lost in. Can't wait for more!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic book! I was amazed with the story. It is quite a page turner!!!

[Stacy Sabala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review- Amulet by Nancy Lee Parish

Things have begun. Darius leaves the bundle for Tristen to find while leading the riders away from it. He gets captured but Tristen finds the bundle and the amulet. His life is now about to change forever. He is now the owner of one of the twelve amulets that make dragons. He believed dragons a myth until he saw them himself. The Ecli are searching for all the amulets to possess the power they contain. Yet each of the four Ecli have their own agenda. Riders are sent to find Tristen and the amulet. Tristen is not safe and those that protect him know he must flee to the Volanari.
His dragon and his sister’s dragon join the group as they travel to safety. Trubac, Solerin, Seneca and Krill, the members of the Ecli, are all in pursuit for different reasons. All want the black crystal that searches out the bloodline of Helios. It turns out there is more to the story as Tristen learns who he really is and why they are being chased by the Ecli.
The Draken join forces with Krill to gain the crystal. A huge black dragon is called forth. Krill also brings Roshan back to life as the battle plans are being drawn. Tristen ends up at Belka’s where she reveals more secrets as they discuss what the next move is.
The battle begins as Krill is determined to destroy them all gaining the power he wants. The dragon blade is his ultimate goal. It will take them all working together to defeat him.
In this first book in the Dragon Blade Series, the storyline is a good one. It centers around a young man who is more than he seems. There are lots of secrets swirling through this story. Solerin is not who he seems. It is fascinating to watch as things are revealed. There is always something going on no matter what part of the story. Unfortunately I felt like there was too much jumping around and the flow of the story wasn’t as smooth as it could have been in places.
However my favorite part of the story is the dragons. I also like Thoral. He is a big, tough guy with a soft heart. He was cute with the dragons. I also liked how the group came together to protect each other and work together. They learn to trust each other and basically become a family. It is an adventurous story for a younger audience. The first book in a YA series of fantasy. It is a good start. I give it a 3 out of 5.

[Margaret Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler alert: this book is 170 chapters long. That's why it took me so long to read. Our hero's name is Tristan. He's a farm boy. He lives with his father and little sister, and his mother has been dead for many years. The entire community lives under the governance of the Ecli, a loose consortium of wizards. These rulers seem to have lost sight of what it means to rule and have given in to a lust for power. And it's not just power for the ruling group; it's also power and greed individually, as they are constantly jockeying for position within the group. Currently, Solerin is the top wizard. They are trying something new now; they are taking the citizen's gold and changing it for paper currency for use in the marketplace, but when they change the paper back into gold, citizens get back 10% less than they put in. The Ecli are already confiscating a large percentage of the citizen's goods, and the fear is that soon they will be taking everything from the people and making them virtual slaves.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book as 'okay.' It was hard to keep interested in it but I can't pinpoint why. I liked the last 20% of the book but it felt like the whole book should've been shorter. It took way too long to get to the main encounter and I wish there was more character development in general. I didn't understand what made certain characters do what they did in the book.

It's unlikely that I would read further books in the series.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

*did not finish*
I’m only two chapters in and I just can’t any more. Way too much telling me things in the beginning. There are much better ways to SHOW cultural context and background. Besides, the things you’re telling me don’t even hold up - like everyone’s so afraid of talking about certain things, but then they’re casually conversing about them as neighbors walk in over breakfast? No.

[Becci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast moving and interesting, however I didn't understand all the crystals and never got a really good sense of the characters. They were all a bit one dimensional. Enjoyed it enough to be reading book #2 though!

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Amulet" is the first book in the DragonBlade series. It introduces us to the Ecli and the Ranarians. The Ecli are wizards who have taken control of Ranaria. They are not the only wizards in town, but they are supposedly the most powerful.

The Good: I would say the best things about this book are the characters of Tristan, Bub, and Solerin. These three characters seem to have the most fleshed out story and the greatest depth as characters. It helps the book that Tristan and Solerin are our two main figures and Bub is probably the biggest supporting character. Thoral, another major supporting character, is also well done, but there seems to be something missing from his character in the book.

The Bad: This is a long book. Don't get me wrong, I like long books, but this one is long without a reason. The author seems to keep coming up with details to add into the story as she writes the main plot. As a reader, I would be following along with the main story, and then all of a sudden it was like "Oh yeah! I need to tell the readers about X, so I'm going to write a subplot to explain all of this. I'll get back to the main story in a minute." There seemed to be so many characters that needed to have a back story to make the main plot move along that it all got mishmashed together.

All in all, this was an OK book. There were some parts that were better than others (the fight scenes were well written), but there were other parts that seemed to drag. I'm undecided about reading the next book in the series.