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Adventurers of the Carotian Union #1
The Chalice of Life
Thalas a world on the brink of civil war. The Carotian Union a nascent confederation of planets at the edge of destruction. Eliander a prince lost millennia ago to the flow of normal space-time. On a world where both magic and technology function, seven extraordinay souls set out on the Quest of the Lost Prince. Passionate mystics, honest thieves, and a silver-tongued bard with a penchant for instigating barroom what the Carotian goddess Minissa was thinking when she selected them, she alone knows. Inconceivable dangers await them around every turn on worlds they never knew existed. But such trivialities never deter a band of true heroes...
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 29, 2011
Chalice of Life is the kind of book that makes me glad I don't own a bookstore, since I wouldn't know where to shelve it. Is it a fantasy? Science fiction? There are elements of each, along with adventure, romance, and a smattering of humor. Normally, so many genres in a single work end up little more than muddled nonsense, but not here. This works, and wonderfully well.
The Carotian Union is a newly formed federation of planets on the brink of civil war. A thousand years ago Prince Eliander was lost, and it's thought that his return could cement these nascent bonds. In order to retrieve the prince, the goddess Minissa chooses seven diverse individuals to set out after him. They range from a Carotian princess to a shapeshifter to a small furry thief. Together, they set out on their first adventure, to retrieve the Chalice of Life. During their quest they overcome their preconceived notions of one another, travel through time, and rescue a herd of dragons both large and small.
In a stunning feat of engineering, the author has managed to create seven complete worlds that each of the adventurers hail from, along with seven markedly different back stories. This is the sort of book that should be a screenplay, because you can easily visualize the diverse planets and cultures. Then, she takes you to another location! Throws in more civilizations, more diversity! And all of it flows seamlessly.
Chalice of Life really does have something for everyone. The beginning is a bit confusing, since we're getting to know the adventurers, but it's worth it. Once they're together the action is pretty fast paced. Another element are the little extras contained in the book, such as the quotes from Carotian literature and sketches of the characters. All in all, this is not a quick beach read, but it is well worth reading. I have already started the second!
The Carotian Union is a newly formed federation of planets on the brink of civil war. A thousand years ago Prince Eliander was lost, and it's thought that his return could cement these nascent bonds. In order to retrieve the prince, the goddess Minissa chooses seven diverse individuals to set out after him. They range from a Carotian princess to a shapeshifter to a small furry thief. Together, they set out on their first adventure, to retrieve the Chalice of Life. During their quest they overcome their preconceived notions of one another, travel through time, and rescue a herd of dragons both large and small.
In a stunning feat of engineering, the author has managed to create seven complete worlds that each of the adventurers hail from, along with seven markedly different back stories. This is the sort of book that should be a screenplay, because you can easily visualize the diverse planets and cultures. Then, she takes you to another location! Throws in more civilizations, more diversity! And all of it flows seamlessly.
Chalice of Life really does have something for everyone. The beginning is a bit confusing, since we're getting to know the adventurers, but it's worth it. Once they're together the action is pretty fast paced. Another element are the little extras contained in the book, such as the quotes from Carotian literature and sketches of the characters. All in all, this is not a quick beach read, but it is well worth reading. I have already started the second!
November 27, 2022
This book weaves together future technology, time travel, magic, adventure, and mysticism. An ambitious undertaking, but Karen Webb succeeds with lots of cliff hangers and by letting us into the minds of so many diverse characters. I particularly resonate with Mistra, who straddles the magical arts and the sciences. As someone who loves both science and religion, I can appreciate the complexities Mistra faces. I also like the complexity of her character, the difficult decisions Mistra has had to make in her past and how those decisions haunt her. I enjoy a story where the main characters are realistic and not perfect, but genuinely try to do what is right.
Webb's belief in the worth of all belief systems comes across in the story and is inspiring. I appreciate her creating such different spiritual beliefs for each character and their ability to get along despite some occasional offenses. It gives one hope that religious diversity in our world might also be harmonious one day. I also enjoyed the playful relationships between the characters that kept the book from becoming too dark like many sci-fi adventures do. With all they face in this incredible first leg of their adventure, it helps to occasionally break the tension with laughter. I look forward to reading “Tapestry of Enchantment” next. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, mysticism, and adventure and is looking for a book that leaves you feeling inspired and uplifted at the end.
Webb's belief in the worth of all belief systems comes across in the story and is inspiring. I appreciate her creating such different spiritual beliefs for each character and their ability to get along despite some occasional offenses. It gives one hope that religious diversity in our world might also be harmonious one day. I also enjoyed the playful relationships between the characters that kept the book from becoming too dark like many sci-fi adventures do. With all they face in this incredible first leg of their adventure, it helps to occasionally break the tension with laughter. I look forward to reading “Tapestry of Enchantment” next. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, mysticism, and adventure and is looking for a book that leaves you feeling inspired and uplifted at the end.
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April 3, 2011The Chalice of Life, Book I, told the tale of a planet plagued by civil
unrest, a fragile union of worlds, and a prince lost centuries ago in
the normal flow of space-time. Questors from very disparate walks of
life were called together by a benign Pantheon of gods to find the
prince and return him to take his place as savior of the e...ntire
planetary system.
Book 2 continues the saga, with the questors on the
second phase of their journey, where they travel into the past and use
magic to solve a riddle whose answers are trapped in a spell cast by a
tapestry whose pieces the questors must find and reassemble. But as they
find the pieces and unravel the riddle, members of their party begin
disappearing.
"...Webb wrote me that the characters and the world Caros first appeared to her in a series of dreams, and once she decided to
tell their story, they refused to leave her alone. Further, she was
driven to make it a tale that was uplifting and inspiring, as contrasted to the post-apocalyptic fiction that has flooded the market of late.
And lastly, having a Mensan child, she wanted to produce a quality work
that both adults and young people who read past grade level could enjoy.... And I thinks she’s succeeded."
— Tom Elliot, Mensa Bulletin November/December 2010 issue
unrest, a fragile union of worlds, and a prince lost centuries ago in
the normal flow of space-time. Questors from very disparate walks of
life were called together by a benign Pantheon of gods to find the
prince and return him to take his place as savior of the e...ntire
planetary system.
Book 2 continues the saga, with the questors on the
second phase of their journey, where they travel into the past and use
magic to solve a riddle whose answers are trapped in a spell cast by a
tapestry whose pieces the questors must find and reassemble. But as they
find the pieces and unravel the riddle, members of their party begin
disappearing.
"...Webb wrote me that the characters and the world Caros first appeared to her in a series of dreams, and once she decided to
tell their story, they refused to leave her alone. Further, she was
driven to make it a tale that was uplifting and inspiring, as contrasted to the post-apocalyptic fiction that has flooded the market of late.
And lastly, having a Mensan child, she wanted to produce a quality work
that both adults and young people who read past grade level could enjoy.... And I thinks she’s succeeded."
— Tom Elliot, Mensa Bulletin November/December 2010 issue
April 25, 2011
The Chalice of Life is the beginning of a journey that travels through time and space. The world that Karen has created is immense with unique races spanning several planets. The story follows a group of questers chosen by a Goddess to find and return a prince that has been lost in stasis. This book is actually just the beginning of the story. This book covers the group meeting and their first adventure which has only a small part in their overall quest.
The group consists of a wide variety of characters all of which are well written and engaging. I would have to say that Habie is my favorite of the group, the young impetuous thief adds an element of comedy to what could otherwise be a somber party. This is a series that I will stick with for the duration. I am very curious about the mysterious evil character introduced and look forward to seeing what mischief he will unleash.
The group consists of a wide variety of characters all of which are well written and engaging. I would have to say that Habie is my favorite of the group, the young impetuous thief adds an element of comedy to what could otherwise be a somber party. This is a series that I will stick with for the duration. I am very curious about the mysterious evil character introduced and look forward to seeing what mischief he will unleash.
April 1, 2011
Exceptionally good fantasy. I particularly loved the female characters, and eagerly look forward to reading the next volumes in the series.
April 1, 2011
The Chalice of life was recommend by friends. I enjoyed it and was looking forward to the next book. I would recommend this book to people of all ages. I enjoyed the characters very much.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews