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Rhuna #1
Keeper of Wisdom
Unique Historical Fantasy
"wonderful imagery" "delightfully creative imagination" - Maria Flanagan "a mystical tale of ethereal beauty"- Barry
Have you ever wondered who built the pyramids or the eerie statues on Easter Island - and how they were made?
Maybe they were made with superhuman powers - or magic - by a highly advanced civilization like Atlantis!
And maybe there was a young girl named Rhuna who finds out that she has these powers, and that she is the only one with special magic to defeat the Dark Master who has brought evil and chaos to her idyllic utopian civilization.
"I can honestly say that I love her writing style. The way she describes things is amazing - makes you feel like you are there experiencing it all first hand.
The way that the story in a whole is written is amazing also. Rhuna - is a young girl who is trying to find herself and about her past. ...you have to read this book and by doing so that you will enjoy the different characters who are involved in the story.
You will also find that this is one of those hard to put down once you start reading type books." - Sue Ann B
"wonderful imagery" "delightfully creative imagination" - Maria Flanagan "a mystical tale of ethereal beauty"- Barry
Have you ever wondered who built the pyramids or the eerie statues on Easter Island - and how they were made?
Maybe they were made with superhuman powers - or magic - by a highly advanced civilization like Atlantis!
And maybe there was a young girl named Rhuna who finds out that she has these powers, and that she is the only one with special magic to defeat the Dark Master who has brought evil and chaos to her idyllic utopian civilization.
"I can honestly say that I love her writing style. The way she describes things is amazing - makes you feel like you are there experiencing it all first hand.
The way that the story in a whole is written is amazing also. Rhuna - is a young girl who is trying to find herself and about her past. ...you have to read this book and by doing so that you will enjoy the different characters who are involved in the story.
You will also find that this is one of those hard to put down once you start reading type books." - Sue Ann B
286 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2012
41 people are currently reading
945 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Underwood
16 books194 followersAs an only child of older migrant parents, I was exposed to a different culture and outlook as I was growing up in the suburbs of Sydney. At the age of 10 I became interested in history and travel, and in sixth grade my teacher commented on my flair for writing.
After a lot of travel and reading about history - I started with Thor Heyerdahl's adventures which led me to other books about unexplained mysteries such as pyramids and other megaliths around the world - I came to a point where I wanted to put it all together in an epic fantasy novel.
Once I finished writing "Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom", I felt there was so much more to tell, so I wrote a sequel...and then another!
I am now working on book 5 in this series about Rhuna which I've titled "A Quest for Ancient Wisdom", and I'm planning several mini novellas and short stories for subscribers to my newsletter emails!
After a lot of travel and reading about history - I started with Thor Heyerdahl's adventures which led me to other books about unexplained mysteries such as pyramids and other megaliths around the world - I came to a point where I wanted to put it all together in an epic fantasy novel.
Once I finished writing "Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom", I felt there was so much more to tell, so I wrote a sequel...and then another!
I am now working on book 5 in this series about Rhuna which I've titled "A Quest for Ancient Wisdom", and I'm planning several mini novellas and short stories for subscribers to my newsletter emails!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 6, 2018
Rhuna — Keeper of Wisdom is a captivating novel that deals with many themes. The protagonist is a fourteen-year-old girl who belongs to a poor village in a made-up world reminiscent of ancient times. She has no knowledge of who her father is or what happened to him, and her mother blames her for her depressing life — as Rhuna’s appearance is completely different to the other people, causing them to become outcasts in the village. Rhuna and all the other inhabitants have none of life’s comforts, and they have to work hard for their daily necessities.
Rhuna is a shadow of the person she can really be — what her true potential and innate abilities can do are far beyond her realm of understanding at the time — until she meets a man in her secret sanctuary; a cave she spends treasured moments playing in, away from the scrutiny and judgement of others.
She naturally gravitates towards this man — she feels that she is appreciated and that her features which are unusual in her village are, instead, celebrated and accepted by this man.
What ensues later is an intriguing adventure, as Rhuna comes to accept herself and be accepted by those who see greatness in her. She begins to thrive in nurturing, facilitative, and accepting environments.
The author uses well-constructed, beautiful and melodious language throughout the novel that is fitting of an ancient world; a make-believe world that makes the reader feel like it really exists.
As Rhuna embarks on a journey of enlightenment and learning from different sciences and the arts, I too felt that I had to learn all the intricacies from the lessons; as though I was part of this fascinating world that the author created, and that this knowledge would prove valuable in the future — that’s how much I was invested in the protagonist’s journey, and the story itself.
We see Rhuna grow in this society where individual differences are embraced, where people from different walks of life learn to assimilate with these “Masters” who have knowledge and power greater than people from other lands possess. The novel highlights how these powers can be utilised for good; for educating and teaching those less knowledgeable — people from different cultures can all co-exist and thrive in a utopian world where everyone contributes their abilities and what they have learned for the betterment of their society as a whole.
The novel masterfully deals with themes such as power and emphasises how power, knowledge, and science can be exploited when placed in the wrong hands, and can be greedily used for selfish reasons. It touches on how good can turn into evil if a person’s power is repurposed; how extraordinary power can consume a person with their own feelings of self-importance and entitlement.
The themes of assimilation are explored, and the difficulties to achieve it; how ignorance can cause fear and leave people exposed and vulnerable to those who hold power and extensive knowledge, but use it against them for their own selfish, aberrant reasons.
It also highlights how education can eradicate such fear and empower individuals and society. It touches on environmental psychology; how the environment can have a nurturing effect on those in its presence and how certain factors like a choice of colour, can deduce a person’s mental state.
The author has carefully constructed this world so cleverly. Each sentence is like a well-tailored garment. Her abundant knowledge in many fields is evident in her writing. Within this mystical world, each character’s behaviour; their mannerisms and feelings, are realistic and plausible. It was very interesting to see how new civilisations can be formed as the story gives the reader a glimpse of what it would have been like; even if the world is an imaginary one. At times it reminded me of Ancient Greece. It was also enjoyable reading about their recreational activities and how important it is to take time off to rejuvenate.
Rhuna — Keeper of Wisdom is such a fascinating, riveting, and beautiful read. The world that Barbara Underwood created transports the reader immediately from the first chapter. I needed to take my time to read each well-constructed sentence so that I can give it the respect that it deserves. I was thoroughly invested in the story; to see Rhuna become a woman, and to see her ameliorate her skills and come into her own — to embrace and integrate all aspects of herself.
The story was beautifully written and it carried an eerie unpredictability from the onset. It kept me glued to each page. The thought and detail that went into the the story is highly impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series; to find out more about Rhuna, the many fascinating characters around her, and more about the fascinating world which they all reside in.
Rhuna is a shadow of the person she can really be — what her true potential and innate abilities can do are far beyond her realm of understanding at the time — until she meets a man in her secret sanctuary; a cave she spends treasured moments playing in, away from the scrutiny and judgement of others.
She naturally gravitates towards this man — she feels that she is appreciated and that her features which are unusual in her village are, instead, celebrated and accepted by this man.
What ensues later is an intriguing adventure, as Rhuna comes to accept herself and be accepted by those who see greatness in her. She begins to thrive in nurturing, facilitative, and accepting environments.
The author uses well-constructed, beautiful and melodious language throughout the novel that is fitting of an ancient world; a make-believe world that makes the reader feel like it really exists.
As Rhuna embarks on a journey of enlightenment and learning from different sciences and the arts, I too felt that I had to learn all the intricacies from the lessons; as though I was part of this fascinating world that the author created, and that this knowledge would prove valuable in the future — that’s how much I was invested in the protagonist’s journey, and the story itself.
We see Rhuna grow in this society where individual differences are embraced, where people from different walks of life learn to assimilate with these “Masters” who have knowledge and power greater than people from other lands possess. The novel highlights how these powers can be utilised for good; for educating and teaching those less knowledgeable — people from different cultures can all co-exist and thrive in a utopian world where everyone contributes their abilities and what they have learned for the betterment of their society as a whole.
The novel masterfully deals with themes such as power and emphasises how power, knowledge, and science can be exploited when placed in the wrong hands, and can be greedily used for selfish reasons. It touches on how good can turn into evil if a person’s power is repurposed; how extraordinary power can consume a person with their own feelings of self-importance and entitlement.
The themes of assimilation are explored, and the difficulties to achieve it; how ignorance can cause fear and leave people exposed and vulnerable to those who hold power and extensive knowledge, but use it against them for their own selfish, aberrant reasons.
It also highlights how education can eradicate such fear and empower individuals and society. It touches on environmental psychology; how the environment can have a nurturing effect on those in its presence and how certain factors like a choice of colour, can deduce a person’s mental state.
The author has carefully constructed this world so cleverly. Each sentence is like a well-tailored garment. Her abundant knowledge in many fields is evident in her writing. Within this mystical world, each character’s behaviour; their mannerisms and feelings, are realistic and plausible. It was very interesting to see how new civilisations can be formed as the story gives the reader a glimpse of what it would have been like; even if the world is an imaginary one. At times it reminded me of Ancient Greece. It was also enjoyable reading about their recreational activities and how important it is to take time off to rejuvenate.
Rhuna — Keeper of Wisdom is such a fascinating, riveting, and beautiful read. The world that Barbara Underwood created transports the reader immediately from the first chapter. I needed to take my time to read each well-constructed sentence so that I can give it the respect that it deserves. I was thoroughly invested in the story; to see Rhuna become a woman, and to see her ameliorate her skills and come into her own — to embrace and integrate all aspects of herself.
The story was beautifully written and it carried an eerie unpredictability from the onset. It kept me glued to each page. The thought and detail that went into the the story is highly impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series; to find out more about Rhuna, the many fascinating characters around her, and more about the fascinating world which they all reside in.
January 28, 2018
Atlantis, a ancient civilization whose stories plague our society is brought back to the life through the Atlans. These characters' origins are not specifically from Atlantis, per say, but rather inspired by the lore behind the stories behind them mixed with wiccan practices. We are told through Rhuna's eyes, the daughter of a fallen warrior for her people, is needed to be the savior for her people.
Rhuna spent her life being ridiculed for her origins. Her skin, her father, who she was a person, caused her to be shunned from her people. But, Barbara Underwood takes this character and transforms her from being a lonely outcast to a fierce, feminist leader who pursues the truth. She makes Katniss seem small and lack luster. Rhuna, all the way!
Rhuna spent her life being ridiculed for her origins. Her skin, her father, who she was a person, caused her to be shunned from her people. But, Barbara Underwood takes this character and transforms her from being a lonely outcast to a fierce, feminist leader who pursues the truth. She makes Katniss seem small and lack luster. Rhuna, all the way!
January 24, 2024
I haven’t read many fantasy novels, but after reading this wonderful book, I imagine I’ll be reading more of them, especially the rest of the Rhuna books by Barbara Underwood.
There is much to delight the reader here. The story revolves around a girl who has become one of my favorite characters. Rhuna is one of those rare people with such a beautiful soul, she has a positive impact on everyone she meets. It’s a blessing to accompany her as she grows from a lonely, 14 year-old outcast to a lovely young woman who humbly becomes an extremely important person in her world.
Not only does the character of Rhuna have a positive effect on those around her, but the novel itself produces that same heartening impact for the reader. It has a special and unique calming quality. The writing is superb. It flows so easily throughout, the reading is effortless.
I especially enjoyed the wonderful, genuine love story between Rhuna and Tozar. I often thought, this is what love is supposed to be.
Underwood’s distinct sensitivity to human emotion arises from the page through the interactions of her characters, leaving the reader feeling as if you’re living among them.
I can’t say enough good things about this lovely story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
There is much to delight the reader here. The story revolves around a girl who has become one of my favorite characters. Rhuna is one of those rare people with such a beautiful soul, she has a positive impact on everyone she meets. It’s a blessing to accompany her as she grows from a lonely, 14 year-old outcast to a lovely young woman who humbly becomes an extremely important person in her world.
Not only does the character of Rhuna have a positive effect on those around her, but the novel itself produces that same heartening impact for the reader. It has a special and unique calming quality. The writing is superb. It flows so easily throughout, the reading is effortless.
I especially enjoyed the wonderful, genuine love story between Rhuna and Tozar. I often thought, this is what love is supposed to be.
Underwood’s distinct sensitivity to human emotion arises from the page through the interactions of her characters, leaving the reader feeling as if you’re living among them.
I can’t say enough good things about this lovely story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
December 8, 2014
Have you ever wondered about the Easter Island monoliths? About the culture that created them and what lay behind both? This story spins a fanciful tale full of magic and legend and pseudo-science that comes together just so to titillate the imagination, and somehow fulfill our need for answers far better than any newsworthy article I’ve read on the subject. The author not only has an infectious writing style but some of her other decisions of how to craft this tale were well thought out as well. For instance, we’re given the story from the perspective of a young girl. Her coming of age story is not only an initiation into womanhood but into the esoteric traditions and knowledge of the reigning masters, what would be referred to as the wicca in similar fantasy tales, but here are referred to as the Atlans, an obvious nod to Atlantis from which these Atlans have sailed to spread their higher learning far and wide in an effort to keep mankind from descending into darkness.
One of the themes threading its way through the story which I particularly appreciated was the one of how fears and prejudices twist up people’s minds and tarnish their souls, and how the forces of wisdom attempting to bring light into the darkness always do so by permitting love to triumph over fear. But even the minds of the masters can be corrupted by power, and for them the dangers of succumbing to ego versus their higher selves is even greater.
I’m convinced that the book will be a hit with YA audiences. For myself, I had few nitpicks, chief among them that the chapters could have been shorter. But to her credit she gives many in-chapter breaks by skipping down a line to signal a scene break. And while some of the scientific answers given to how the powers of the masters worked were a bit thin, I appreciated the fact that she gave them at all because many fantasy books don’t bother addressing the fact that wizards were the scientists of their day.
One of the themes threading its way through the story which I particularly appreciated was the one of how fears and prejudices twist up people’s minds and tarnish their souls, and how the forces of wisdom attempting to bring light into the darkness always do so by permitting love to triumph over fear. But even the minds of the masters can be corrupted by power, and for them the dangers of succumbing to ego versus their higher selves is even greater.
I’m convinced that the book will be a hit with YA audiences. For myself, I had few nitpicks, chief among them that the chapters could have been shorter. But to her credit she gives many in-chapter breaks by skipping down a line to signal a scene break. And while some of the scientific answers given to how the powers of the masters worked were a bit thin, I appreciated the fact that she gave them at all because many fantasy books don’t bother addressing the fact that wizards were the scientists of their day.
July 4, 2015
What an absolute pleasure it has been to discover Barbara Underwood and her marvelous book Rhuna-Keeper of Wisdom.
The reader is instantly drawn to Rhuna, an innocent child living an uncomplicated existence amongst a basic island community. We follow as she is taken from this community, which largely shuns her, into a world where her ever curious mind is allowed to feast and quench its ever hungry appetite. She is drawn into a Utopian society known as the Atlans and discovers she has a natural aptitude to learn and use their mystical powers. It is a wonderful journey as we watch her grow to adulthood, find love and find her calling in life.
Barbara’s novel is well written with detailed descriptions of the ancient cultures and their ways. One cannot help but want to learn more about the Atlans and their beliefs.
There is plenty of mystery which keeps the reader absorbed in the pages right to the end. Who was Rhuna’s father? What will occur with the clash of cultures as different groups discover each other? What plans does the evil Dark Master have in store for the Atlan society? One of the sub plots is the ever present question as to whether the Atlans are helping or harming less fortunate cultures by sharing their advanced knowledge? There is also the ever present battle between good and evil.
I would highly recommend this novel to other fantasy readers and look forward to a sequel???? or a new tale from this talented author.
The reader is instantly drawn to Rhuna, an innocent child living an uncomplicated existence amongst a basic island community. We follow as she is taken from this community, which largely shuns her, into a world where her ever curious mind is allowed to feast and quench its ever hungry appetite. She is drawn into a Utopian society known as the Atlans and discovers she has a natural aptitude to learn and use their mystical powers. It is a wonderful journey as we watch her grow to adulthood, find love and find her calling in life.
Barbara’s novel is well written with detailed descriptions of the ancient cultures and their ways. One cannot help but want to learn more about the Atlans and their beliefs.
There is plenty of mystery which keeps the reader absorbed in the pages right to the end. Who was Rhuna’s father? What will occur with the clash of cultures as different groups discover each other? What plans does the evil Dark Master have in store for the Atlan society? One of the sub plots is the ever present question as to whether the Atlans are helping or harming less fortunate cultures by sharing their advanced knowledge? There is also the ever present battle between good and evil.
I would highly recommend this novel to other fantasy readers and look forward to a sequel???? or a new tale from this talented author.
June 23, 2015
I received a free copy of novel in exchange for my honest review.
Rhuna Keeper of Wisdom is a great historical fantasy about the people of Atlantis. Rhuna, a beautiful young girl is alienated by everyone in her village including her mother. The children tease her because she has no father and the color of her skin is remarkably lighter than theirs. Her mother is cold towards her and the mention of Rhuna's father makes her angry. When Rhuna is taken to Atlan, she uncovers the secret to who her father is and why he isn't in her life. The Atlan Masters teach her how to use her powers, but she quickly exceeds their expectations. But when she finds out the Dark One is still alive, she begins having visions. Will she be able to stop him? What happened to the Dark One to turn him evil? Where is her father? Has the Dark One made him evil too?
This is a beautiful coming of age story, with many twists. You feel Rhuna's plight as she struggles to fit in at Chinza, and her curiosity goes beyond anyone there. When she arrives in Atlan you see her blossom and thrive. The love she has for Tozar is absolutely beautiful. Her drive to help others makes her a very courageous young woman, one the Atlans find as an asset. Although a little slow, the story keeps you curious about the Atlans to keep reading too find out what happens next.
December 10, 2023
Rhuna is an unsuspecting young native girl on a remote island when she runs into Tozar hiding in her secret cave. She soon learns that all is not as it seems in her little world. She already knew she was different - her skin a lighter color than the other inhabitants of her island, her mother bitter to her, her father absent. Through Tozar, Rhuna learns of the utopian world of the Atlan Empire and her own inherited gifts from her Atlan Master father. Rhuna leaves her island with Tozar, in danger from her misguided kin. Rhuna quickly learns she is not only gifted with Atlan's magical talents but exceptionally gifted with rare and unique talents at summoning visions, projecting healing light, and transforming elements.
This book is a slow and winding tale through Rhuna's life, all while building this beautiful and idyllic Atlan world. But not all is well in the perfect world as the Dark Master seeks to corrupt their peace and tranquility. The Dark Master is an Atlan who uses his unique and exceptional abilities to try to gain power and influence for himself. Rhuna's father perished trying to pursue and defeat him. When it is discovered that the Dark Master is still alive and newly bent on destroying the Atlan Empire, Rhuna must use her abilities to protect the culture she has grown to love.
The writing in the book is superb, and the world-building is unique and thorough. I had difficulty deciding whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. 3.5 would have been ideal. While I did enjoy the book, I didn't love it. It felt like it dragged on forever with little conflict and no real climax. If you like a slow, methodical development of a world, this book will interest you. But I can't recommend this book to anyone who wants excitement and a driving force to the tale. I think the Atlan Empire and its philosophy could be an exciting topic of discussion in the context of philosophy, psychology, or sociology. I doubt a casual book club will want to tackle the dense prose in this book to get to that discussion. A college-level class, however, might.
Rhuna herself is very likable, even in her sometimes bothersome naiveté. I felt she spent far too much time worrying about pleasing Tozar, even as her knowledge and abilities grew and surpassed his. She is deeply empathetic, and Tozar spends a great deal of his time trying to protect her from the world's weight. Ultimately, I think this does her a disservice because she's much stronger than she or Tozar give her credit for. I will say that the utopian society was a fresh change of pace from all the dystopian fiction out right now.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.
This book is a slow and winding tale through Rhuna's life, all while building this beautiful and idyllic Atlan world. But not all is well in the perfect world as the Dark Master seeks to corrupt their peace and tranquility. The Dark Master is an Atlan who uses his unique and exceptional abilities to try to gain power and influence for himself. Rhuna's father perished trying to pursue and defeat him. When it is discovered that the Dark Master is still alive and newly bent on destroying the Atlan Empire, Rhuna must use her abilities to protect the culture she has grown to love.
The writing in the book is superb, and the world-building is unique and thorough. I had difficulty deciding whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. 3.5 would have been ideal. While I did enjoy the book, I didn't love it. It felt like it dragged on forever with little conflict and no real climax. If you like a slow, methodical development of a world, this book will interest you. But I can't recommend this book to anyone who wants excitement and a driving force to the tale. I think the Atlan Empire and its philosophy could be an exciting topic of discussion in the context of philosophy, psychology, or sociology. I doubt a casual book club will want to tackle the dense prose in this book to get to that discussion. A college-level class, however, might.
Rhuna herself is very likable, even in her sometimes bothersome naiveté. I felt she spent far too much time worrying about pleasing Tozar, even as her knowledge and abilities grew and surpassed his. She is deeply empathetic, and Tozar spends a great deal of his time trying to protect her from the world's weight. Ultimately, I think this does her a disservice because she's much stronger than she or Tozar give her credit for. I will say that the utopian society was a fresh change of pace from all the dystopian fiction out right now.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.
September 15, 2016
Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom by Barbara Underwood is one of those books that sneaks up on you and makes you think about things not explicitly covered in the story. My initial reaction to this book was that it was just a simple fantasy tale, following the adventures of a young girl, plucked from her primitive tribe and brought into a world of enlightenment and wonder.
As that simple story and coupled with the romance, Rhuna had plenty of appeal to me as a reader. The story essentially revolved around Rhuna (a young village girl who is different from her peers, by nature of her skin color and appearance). Her paleness speaks to her long, lost father who was from a different culture, the Atlans.
When Rhuna meets a Master from the Atlan culture, Tozar, he takes her back to his homeland where she is educated and schooled in the ways of her father's culture. She proves to be very successful and quickly becomes a valued member of Atlan society. All is not well, though, in Atlan. A Master who defected to the dark side many years ago and who has long been considered dead is actually creating a cult following for himself among other primitive tribes.
This is a very gentle story, that rolls along quite nicely and I enjoyed it for that. It was only later in the book that questions began to be raised and considered about utopian societies, of which Atlan clearly was one. The age-old question of "who watches the watchers?" reared its ugly head.
As I said, this is a nice, easy read on a purely fictional, superficial level, but the extra depth these questions about utopian societies give this book is what makes it stand out in its genre.
What it did do, was give me a desire to read on about Rhuna and see what happens next with her, Tozar and of course, The Dark Master.
A very satisfying read and well worth the five-stars I am giving it. Good job Barbara Underwood.
As that simple story and coupled with the romance, Rhuna had plenty of appeal to me as a reader. The story essentially revolved around Rhuna (a young village girl who is different from her peers, by nature of her skin color and appearance). Her paleness speaks to her long, lost father who was from a different culture, the Atlans.
When Rhuna meets a Master from the Atlan culture, Tozar, he takes her back to his homeland where she is educated and schooled in the ways of her father's culture. She proves to be very successful and quickly becomes a valued member of Atlan society. All is not well, though, in Atlan. A Master who defected to the dark side many years ago and who has long been considered dead is actually creating a cult following for himself among other primitive tribes.
This is a very gentle story, that rolls along quite nicely and I enjoyed it for that. It was only later in the book that questions began to be raised and considered about utopian societies, of which Atlan clearly was one. The age-old question of "who watches the watchers?" reared its ugly head.
As I said, this is a nice, easy read on a purely fictional, superficial level, but the extra depth these questions about utopian societies give this book is what makes it stand out in its genre.
What it did do, was give me a desire to read on about Rhuna and see what happens next with her, Tozar and of course, The Dark Master.
A very satisfying read and well worth the five-stars I am giving it. Good job Barbara Underwood.
March 11, 2018
2.5 stars
The basic idea here is "what if traditional magical thinking was true" and while not totally original, "Rhuna" does tie more legends and traditions together in a cohesive way than I've seen done before. I particularly liked the colour theory/ solar light healing parts, very interesting *Dives into Underwood's blog to see if I can find out more about this*
The writing style was very strange, I found it hard to get into but not "bad" at all. Just odd. I think it's a good thing to read something whose style is different to what you usually go for.
However, as I'm pretty sure other readers have noticed, Underwood definitely seems to struggle with writing "time skip" passages where she's trying to move the characters or develop them quickly.
The thing that really put me off was how the Atlans were white and all the people they were teaching were black, and the black people didn't seem to know anything useful to the Atlans. This was kind of lampshaded by having the Big Bad saying "we have to lead them like cattle" etc. etc. and the Good Guys working to stop him, but it would have been much better to actually show him being wrong, i.e. other peoples being better at something than the Atlans.
The ending turned it around for me because it was one of those tense "there are only a few pages left and Big Bad is still undefeated" moments and the ending was totally not what I expected.
Not an outstanding book, but I'm intrigued enough by it to want to read the next (plus I want to see how Underwood's writing changes and improves, it's a unique style).
The basic idea here is "what if traditional magical thinking was true" and while not totally original, "Rhuna" does tie more legends and traditions together in a cohesive way than I've seen done before. I particularly liked the colour theory/ solar light healing parts, very interesting *Dives into Underwood's blog to see if I can find out more about this*
The writing style was very strange, I found it hard to get into but not "bad" at all. Just odd. I think it's a good thing to read something whose style is different to what you usually go for.
However, as I'm pretty sure other readers have noticed, Underwood definitely seems to struggle with writing "time skip" passages where she's trying to move the characters or develop them quickly.
The thing that really put me off was how the Atlans were white and all the people they were teaching were black, and the black people didn't seem to know anything useful to the Atlans. This was kind of lampshaded by having the Big Bad saying "we have to lead them like cattle" etc. etc. and the Good Guys working to stop him, but it would have been much better to actually show him being wrong, i.e. other peoples being better at something than the Atlans.
The ending turned it around for me because it was one of those tense "there are only a few pages left and Big Bad is still undefeated" moments and the ending was totally not what I expected.
Not an outstanding book, but I'm intrigued enough by it to want to read the next (plus I want to see how Underwood's writing changes and improves, it's a unique style).
January 9, 2015
Rhuna has grown up in a small village where the elders rule and her life is very hard. She doesn’t know whom her father was and her mother merely tolerates her. When a chance meeting with a Master throws more light on her heritage she starts on a journey of self-discovery and finds out there is more to life than she ever realised was possible.
More than just another YA coming-of-age story, this book was rather a joy for me as it incorporated some ‘what if’s’ from ancient civilisations, myths and legends. I could see that the author had done her homework and she brought to life very satisfying, if pseudo scientific, reasons for various unanswered questions about how ancient civilisations managed to do some of the things they did. Although, of course, she might be right about some of them and I have learnt not to discount anything ;-)
More than just another YA coming-of-age story, this book was rather a joy for me as it incorporated some ‘what if’s’ from ancient civilisations, myths and legends. I could see that the author had done her homework and she brought to life very satisfying, if pseudo scientific, reasons for various unanswered questions about how ancient civilisations managed to do some of the things they did. Although, of course, she might be right about some of them and I have learnt not to discount anything ;-)
August 18, 2016
I received a copy of the first three books in this series in exchange for an honest review.
I was unable to finish reading this series. I managed to get through the first book and part of the second before I gave up. My biggest problem with the series is that there was very little dialogue. The author would write out what the characters were saying to each other, but they don't actually say it. For example: Rhuna told her friend that she had to go to bed now.
I dislike this type of writing. However the descriptions of Atlan and of the countryside were good. Also the abilities of the Atlans were some of the most original I've seen in a series of books. I just wish the conversation between characters would have flowed and that Rhuna's relationship with her mentor wouldn't have been so predictable.
I was unable to finish reading this series. I managed to get through the first book and part of the second before I gave up. My biggest problem with the series is that there was very little dialogue. The author would write out what the characters were saying to each other, but they don't actually say it. For example: Rhuna told her friend that she had to go to bed now.
I dislike this type of writing. However the descriptions of Atlan and of the countryside were good. Also the abilities of the Atlans were some of the most original I've seen in a series of books. I just wish the conversation between characters would have flowed and that Rhuna's relationship with her mentor wouldn't have been so predictable.
October 16, 2018
Das Cover:
Das Cover ist komplett in lila und violett gehalten. Im Hintergrund erkennt man Wolken, die anscheinend einen Sonnenuntergang verhängen. Ein junges Mädchen ist am rechten Bildrand zu erkennen. Ein Arm von ihr hat ein Verzierungen. Insgesamt gefällt mir das Bild nicht so gut, da es für mich zu violett ist.
Meine Meinung:
Wie soll ich da nur anfangen? Ein junges Mädchen trifft einen älteren Herrn in ihrem Versteck, soweit so gut. Durch ein Magie und ein paar Umständen lernt Rhuna eine neue Welt kennen, die mich sehr an das alte Ägypten und an die alten Griechen erinnert. Es wird sehr interessant, was Rhuna alles erlernt und wie sie „Magie“ einsetzten kann. Doch das Buch an sich kommt nicht voran. Es wird immer wieder das gleiche beschrieben und man lernt iwann nichts mehr neues hinzu. Ich musst nach zweidrittel das Buch abbrechen, da ich mir die Wiederholungen nervten.
„Rhuna spürte, wie die kalte Luft über ihre nackten Arme strich!“ – erster Satz
Ein weiterer Grund waren die Charaktere. Am Anfang war Rhuna ein ungebildetes junges Mädchen, welches sich nach und nach Wissen aneignet. Leider ändert sich der Charakter der Protagonisten nicht, obwohl sie älter wurde. Ich wurde auch nicht wirklich mit ihr warm. Ein totales No-Go ist, dass ein junges Mädchen zwischen 11-15 Jahren mit einem Mann zusammen lebt, der „ein fortgeschrittenes Alter“ hat! Die Nebencharaktere waren durchschnittlich. Ein wenig nervig waren die Namen (Seher von Welten, Löser von Rätseln etc).
„Vergiss das nicht!“ – letzter Satz
Der Stil war zäh wie Kaugummi. Er wurde nicht wirklich spannend. Es sehr langweilig und man wollte einfach nur das Buch abbrechen. Teilweise habe ich Satzzeichenfehler entdeckt, was beim Lesen sehr gestört hat.
Das Ergebnis:
Wie man sehen konnte, konnte mich das Buch nicht umhauen. Der Plot könnte man sehr ausbauen um die Geschichte spannender zu schreiben. Die Charaktere gingen für mich gar nicht, besonders die Liebesbeziehung zwischen Rhuna und Tozar. Positiv war die Welt und die Kultur von Atlan.
Vielen lieben Dank an das Rezensionsexemplar!
Das Cover ist komplett in lila und violett gehalten. Im Hintergrund erkennt man Wolken, die anscheinend einen Sonnenuntergang verhängen. Ein junges Mädchen ist am rechten Bildrand zu erkennen. Ein Arm von ihr hat ein Verzierungen. Insgesamt gefällt mir das Bild nicht so gut, da es für mich zu violett ist.
Meine Meinung:
Wie soll ich da nur anfangen? Ein junges Mädchen trifft einen älteren Herrn in ihrem Versteck, soweit so gut. Durch ein Magie und ein paar Umständen lernt Rhuna eine neue Welt kennen, die mich sehr an das alte Ägypten und an die alten Griechen erinnert. Es wird sehr interessant, was Rhuna alles erlernt und wie sie „Magie“ einsetzten kann. Doch das Buch an sich kommt nicht voran. Es wird immer wieder das gleiche beschrieben und man lernt iwann nichts mehr neues hinzu. Ich musst nach zweidrittel das Buch abbrechen, da ich mir die Wiederholungen nervten.
„Rhuna spürte, wie die kalte Luft über ihre nackten Arme strich!“ – erster Satz
Ein weiterer Grund waren die Charaktere. Am Anfang war Rhuna ein ungebildetes junges Mädchen, welches sich nach und nach Wissen aneignet. Leider ändert sich der Charakter der Protagonisten nicht, obwohl sie älter wurde. Ich wurde auch nicht wirklich mit ihr warm. Ein totales No-Go ist, dass ein junges Mädchen zwischen 11-15 Jahren mit einem Mann zusammen lebt, der „ein fortgeschrittenes Alter“ hat! Die Nebencharaktere waren durchschnittlich. Ein wenig nervig waren die Namen (Seher von Welten, Löser von Rätseln etc).
„Vergiss das nicht!“ – letzter Satz
Der Stil war zäh wie Kaugummi. Er wurde nicht wirklich spannend. Es sehr langweilig und man wollte einfach nur das Buch abbrechen. Teilweise habe ich Satzzeichenfehler entdeckt, was beim Lesen sehr gestört hat.
Das Ergebnis:
Wie man sehen konnte, konnte mich das Buch nicht umhauen. Der Plot könnte man sehr ausbauen um die Geschichte spannender zu schreiben. Die Charaktere gingen für mich gar nicht, besonders die Liebesbeziehung zwischen Rhuna und Tozar. Positiv war die Welt und die Kultur von Atlan.
Vielen lieben Dank an das Rezensionsexemplar!
November 19, 2019
This story is inspired on the mythical city Atlantis. We begin on the island of Rhuna, where some Atlans are erecting statues with faces. A hint to Easter Island? Rhuna is shunned by her mother and people because her father was white. In this she seeks validation with what she does, even though she has only one friend. Upon one of her adventures, she encounters someone from Atlan.
From there it goes downhill when she gets betrayed by her very best friend and her mom. She escapes with the man from Atlan, his name is Torza. They get rescued by boats and after a long journey, the land on Mediz. Where Rhuna learns the ways of Atlan in school. She excels so fast that after a long time she takes another sea voyage to Atlan country. From here she excels even more, but she encounters more trouble when she gets visions of the Dark One. The Dark One is spreading his poison throughout the land and wish to control the native people. Rhuna and the high council cannot do anything about it then observe and contain. Things are slowly escalating and will they be able to hold of the wave of darkness that is coming towards the Atlan Empire?
There is a clash between no knowledge, superstition, with the native people and the Atlan Empire with knowledge that is also not without its dangers. Because with knowledge comes power and responsibility that if you don't see balance, you easily cross it's boundaries. And the high council acts like our governments of today, to keep things under wraps of what is happening with the excuse to keep the balance in the Atlan Empire. What you don't know, won't hurt you.
I love that you can follow Rhuna into her endeavors of learning things. It seems to me that Rhuna seeks validation through her best friend and mother at first. After they betray her she seeks now validation through Torza and this is through the whole story. The landscape is beautiful rendered, but what surprised me that everyone is walking, no vehicles that can fly in the air. It is a calm but driven story, with the Dark One inflicting atrocities throughout the story.
From there it goes downhill when she gets betrayed by her very best friend and her mom. She escapes with the man from Atlan, his name is Torza. They get rescued by boats and after a long journey, the land on Mediz. Where Rhuna learns the ways of Atlan in school. She excels so fast that after a long time she takes another sea voyage to Atlan country. From here she excels even more, but she encounters more trouble when she gets visions of the Dark One. The Dark One is spreading his poison throughout the land and wish to control the native people. Rhuna and the high council cannot do anything about it then observe and contain. Things are slowly escalating and will they be able to hold of the wave of darkness that is coming towards the Atlan Empire?
There is a clash between no knowledge, superstition, with the native people and the Atlan Empire with knowledge that is also not without its dangers. Because with knowledge comes power and responsibility that if you don't see balance, you easily cross it's boundaries. And the high council acts like our governments of today, to keep things under wraps of what is happening with the excuse to keep the balance in the Atlan Empire. What you don't know, won't hurt you.
I love that you can follow Rhuna into her endeavors of learning things. It seems to me that Rhuna seeks validation through her best friend and mother at first. After they betray her she seeks now validation through Torza and this is through the whole story. The landscape is beautiful rendered, but what surprised me that everyone is walking, no vehicles that can fly in the air. It is a calm but driven story, with the Dark One inflicting atrocities throughout the story.
March 14, 2017
Das Cover finde ich sehr gelungen und wunderschön. So hat man eine Vorstellung, wie Rhuna aussieht und die Farben passen auch perfekt.
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich kein großer Fantasy Leser bin, aber dieses Buch hat durch das Cover und auch durch den Klappentext mein Interesse geweckt.
Dann habe ich das zu lesen begonnen und es hat mich, nachdem ich mich am Anfang etwas einlesen musst sofort gefesselt. Rhuna war mir sofort sympathisch. Sie zeigt eine innere Stärke, die beeindruckend ist und das obwohl sie es in der Kindheit sehr schwer hatte. Aber genau das macht sie aus und daher kann sie auch sehr gut mit den anderen Völkern umgehen. Sie hat besondere Gaben, die von ihren Lehrern gefördert werden und sie ist extrem wissbegierig. Tozar steht ihr zur Seite und hilft ihr bei allem. Er beschützt sie und gibt ihr Halt. Aber die Heldin ist Rhuna, aber sie hebt durch ihre Erfolge nicht ab, sondern zweifelt immer auch wieder an sich. Dies macht sie menschlich und liebenswert.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr angenehm zu lesen und es werden sowohl die Protagonisten, als auch die Gegend sehr ausführlich und bildhaft beschrieben. Ebenso schafft sie es Spannungshöhepunkte von Erholungsphasen abzulösen und so auch dem Leser immer etwas Ruhe zu gönnen.
Fazit:
Ein toller Fantasy Roman, der den Leser fesselt und begeistert.
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich kein großer Fantasy Leser bin, aber dieses Buch hat durch das Cover und auch durch den Klappentext mein Interesse geweckt.
Dann habe ich das zu lesen begonnen und es hat mich, nachdem ich mich am Anfang etwas einlesen musst sofort gefesselt. Rhuna war mir sofort sympathisch. Sie zeigt eine innere Stärke, die beeindruckend ist und das obwohl sie es in der Kindheit sehr schwer hatte. Aber genau das macht sie aus und daher kann sie auch sehr gut mit den anderen Völkern umgehen. Sie hat besondere Gaben, die von ihren Lehrern gefördert werden und sie ist extrem wissbegierig. Tozar steht ihr zur Seite und hilft ihr bei allem. Er beschützt sie und gibt ihr Halt. Aber die Heldin ist Rhuna, aber sie hebt durch ihre Erfolge nicht ab, sondern zweifelt immer auch wieder an sich. Dies macht sie menschlich und liebenswert.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist sehr angenehm zu lesen und es werden sowohl die Protagonisten, als auch die Gegend sehr ausführlich und bildhaft beschrieben. Ebenso schafft sie es Spannungshöhepunkte von Erholungsphasen abzulösen und so auch dem Leser immer etwas Ruhe zu gönnen.
Fazit:
Ein toller Fantasy Roman, der den Leser fesselt und begeistert.
March 6, 2018
I received this book in return for an honest review. Rhuna is an embarrassment to her tribe and her mother. Her skin is too light and the other children in her tribe make fun of her and won't play. To escape the humiliation she has a secret place that she hides in. There is so much that she doesn't understand and no one to explain to her - until the day she meets Tozar. He is hiding in her secret cave until he can be rescued. As he waits Rhuna asks questions and relays how she is shunned by the tribe. And so the adventure begins for Rhuna. She escapes the island that is home and begins a new life. Her thirst for knowledge is very well portrayed in the novel. The attitudes and behaviors of those she meets are believable and the descriptions of her new home and circumstances create a charming world. The author has developed not only the characters but also the entire concept of this fantasy world. When your imagination is captured so well that you care about the characters and wish to visit the place in the book, you know it's a good book. This one is and I look forward to seeing what adventures await Rhuna. I recommend this book because it appeals to the imagination and has relayed a story absent swearing and sex. What a great read!
May 22, 2024
This is the prequel to the Rhuna’s adventure. Rhuna lives in a lost world where utopian civilization uses magic to build pyramids and monuments. Dark Master’s threaten the Atlan Empire. Rhuna lives in the Altan society where elements can be formed using the power of the mind. Rhuna learns to use her mind to summon mental images. I was really entertained by this fascinating young adult historical fiction novel.
November 5, 2018
I'm sure the author wanted this to be the next best thing in books, but it falls so flat.
The author tells the story, rarely shows. There is very little actual dialogue.
"White" people are the saviors of humankind, black skinned are the uneducated, superstitious heathens.
This book failed on all levels for me.
The author tells the story, rarely shows. There is very little actual dialogue.
"White" people are the saviors of humankind, black skinned are the uneducated, superstitious heathens.
This book failed on all levels for me.
June 13, 2018
Loved this book. Loved the themes and the characters. It was also relatable.
Loved the way the scenes were set and everything was fully described.
The story was brilliant and I can’t wait to get onto book 2!
Loved the way the scenes were set and everything was fully described.
The story was brilliant and I can’t wait to get onto book 2!
January 29, 2019
I loved this book! I've got my degree in anthropology and the world that Barbara paints in this book is absolutely beautiful and fascinating! I loved the class systems, the personalities, the corruption, and best of all, the world itself. Such a wonderful read
July 7, 2020
THIS BOOK WAS PRETTY GOOD!😍
TAKE THE TIME TO GET THIS BOOK NOW!😍😊😀😀 THE AUTHOR WROTE ABOUT CHARACTERS THAT ARE QUITE INTERESTING AND ENJOYABLE.A REAL TREAT!😍 BUY THIS BOOK NOW!😍😊😀😃😃
TAKE THE TIME TO GET THIS BOOK NOW!😍😊😀😀 THE AUTHOR WROTE ABOUT CHARACTERS THAT ARE QUITE INTERESTING AND ENJOYABLE.A REAL TREAT!😍 BUY THIS BOOK NOW!😍😊😀😃😃
July 11, 2016
Well, if you like instructionals, you'll love this book.
Rhuna is 14, and not quite like the Zao people she's lived with all her life. Then she meets a Master - one of the foreigners who she's seen on the island - and is astounded by what he can do. Unsure if she's breaking some rule, she asks her people about the masters, and finds that her people are resentful of the light-skinned intruders, and their anger turns on Rhuna. She escapes the island with the master she met (Tozar) and begins her life anew in Atlan society where amazing things can happen with the right and enough thought if you possess the ability. Rhuna has that ability, and the more she learns, the more power she finds. The story follows Rhuna as she transitions from child to woman and finds he place in Atlan society, all while the threat of the Dark Master's return threatens the peace and prosperity the Atlans have worked so long to achieve.
As exciting as the premise is, the story lacked the kind of conflict that could have made it interesting. Rhuna is basically perfect, and she excels at everything she does. In fact, she's better than everyone else, but she's never haughty. Instead, she's the picture of perfection, not only in her studies, but also in every area of human interaction. She constantly goes to her husband for advice and comfort, and seems to have few ideas of her own. There are a few times she does step outside the "comfort zone", but always with her husband's or teacher's permission. It was kind of boring reading about this meek, submissive, perfect, powerful beyond imagination woman. There just wasn't that much about her that was interesting.
Rhuna spends the majority of the book learning. We learn all about building and harnessing thought energies and summoning and such. (Personal aside: the author uses learnt, a spelling I've never seen as an American, and since Rhuna learnt about everything there is to learn, it became a bit irritating.) What little conflict is introduced is quickly and easily resolved (Every. Single. Time.), and the conflict is few and far between.
All that being said, the writing itself isn't the worst I've seen, and the Atlan society is kind of interesting. Only complaints there is the author doesn't have chapters (there are parts, but some are very long), and the scene breaks are hard to spot because they're only separated by a blank line, which makes finding a stopping place difficult. Also, the paragraph first line indents are way too big for my reader.
So yeah, if you like instructionals, you'll love this book. You can learn all about the Atlan society and what and how they can do it. If you're looking for a sweeping story to take you to a far away world rife with intrigue and conflict, find another book.
Rhuna is 14, and not quite like the Zao people she's lived with all her life. Then she meets a Master - one of the foreigners who she's seen on the island - and is astounded by what he can do. Unsure if she's breaking some rule, she asks her people about the masters, and finds that her people are resentful of the light-skinned intruders, and their anger turns on Rhuna. She escapes the island with the master she met (Tozar) and begins her life anew in Atlan society where amazing things can happen with the right and enough thought if you possess the ability. Rhuna has that ability, and the more she learns, the more power she finds. The story follows Rhuna as she transitions from child to woman and finds he place in Atlan society, all while the threat of the Dark Master's return threatens the peace and prosperity the Atlans have worked so long to achieve.
As exciting as the premise is, the story lacked the kind of conflict that could have made it interesting. Rhuna is basically perfect, and she excels at everything she does. In fact, she's better than everyone else, but she's never haughty. Instead, she's the picture of perfection, not only in her studies, but also in every area of human interaction. She constantly goes to her husband for advice and comfort, and seems to have few ideas of her own. There are a few times she does step outside the "comfort zone", but always with her husband's or teacher's permission. It was kind of boring reading about this meek, submissive, perfect, powerful beyond imagination woman. There just wasn't that much about her that was interesting.
Rhuna spends the majority of the book learning. We learn all about building and harnessing thought energies and summoning and such. (Personal aside: the author uses learnt, a spelling I've never seen as an American, and since Rhuna learnt about everything there is to learn, it became a bit irritating.) What little conflict is introduced is quickly and easily resolved (Every. Single. Time.), and the conflict is few and far between.
All that being said, the writing itself isn't the worst I've seen, and the Atlan society is kind of interesting. Only complaints there is the author doesn't have chapters (there are parts, but some are very long), and the scene breaks are hard to spot because they're only separated by a blank line, which makes finding a stopping place difficult. Also, the paragraph first line indents are way too big for my reader.
So yeah, if you like instructionals, you'll love this book. You can learn all about the Atlan society and what and how they can do it. If you're looking for a sweeping story to take you to a far away world rife with intrigue and conflict, find another book.
July 20, 2016
Ich habe den ersten Band der "Rhuna Fantasy Reihe" direkt von Daniela Mansfield zugesandt bekommen, vielen Dank an dieser Stelle! Auch ein großer Dank geht an Barbara Underwood, mit welcher ich schon nette Gespräche führen durfte und Euch bald ein Autoreninterview vorstellen darf.
Ich liebe Cover, die schon das Genre des Buches verraten. Dieses Cover tut das auf eine beeindruckende Weise. Zu sehen ist eine junge Frau, welche den Betrachter mit ihren leuchtenden braunen Augen fixiert und die Hände über der Brust verschränkt hält. Ihre Arme sind mit Mustern bemalt, welche andeuten, dass es sich bei der Frau nicht um eine gewöhnliche Frau handelt, sondern um eine besondere. Auch das Meer, welches im Hintergrund gegen sie zu schlagen scheint, rundet das Cover sehr schön ab. Mir gefällt ebenso die Farbgebung, da das komplette Cover in einem Lilaton gehalten ist, welcher die braunen Augen der Frau und die Muster auf ihrem Arm noch stärker zum Ausdruck bringen.
Der Klappentext gibt Euch nur einen ganz kleinen Einblick in die wahre Geschichte, da diese so spannend und komplex ist, dass man es nicht in ein paar wenige Sätze packen kann. Rhuna ist nicht gewöhnlich. Selbst in der fiktiven Welt voller Magie, ist sie außergewöhnlich. Doch was soll sie tun? Besonders jetzt, da ein Feind ihre Heimat bedroht? Wer ist es und was kann sie gegen ihn tun?
Mehr möchte ich Euch noch nicht verraten, da mich die Story so überrascht hat, dass ich Euch diese Spannung nicht nehmen möchte.
Rhuna ist mein absoluter Liebling. Obwohl sie die ungewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten besitzt, denkt sie keinen Moment daran, aufzugeben. Sie möchte den Feind bekämpfen und sich nicht unterkriegen lassen, obwohl sie sich noch gar nicht sicher ist, was mit ihr geschieht. Sie ist eine starke Frau, die durch ihren Mut und ihre herzliche Art die Welt in ihren Bann zieht. Ich fand es besonders erfrischend, eine starke Protagonistin zu haben und keinen Protagonisten, da es meiner Meinung nach, viel zu wenig Frauen in den Heldenrollen gibt! Toll, ich will mehr davon! :-)
Die Geschichte wird auf eine solch leichte und angenehme Weise erzählt, dass ich das Buch überhaupt nicht mehr weglegen wollte. Sowohl die Wortwahl, als auch die Satzstrukturen scheinen den Leser in ihren Bann zu ziehen!
Ein großes Lob an Barabara Underwood und Daniela Mansfield, für diese Kunst mit Worten umzugehen!
Falls Ihr Euch denkt, es sei nur ein weiterer Fantasyroman, täuscht Ihr Euch. Dieses Buch ist voller neuer Ideen, welche Euch überraschen werden!
Fazit
"Rhuna - Hüterin der Weisheit" ist ein toller Fantasyroman, der seine Leser begeistert! Ich freue mich schon sehr auf Band zwei
Ich liebe Cover, die schon das Genre des Buches verraten. Dieses Cover tut das auf eine beeindruckende Weise. Zu sehen ist eine junge Frau, welche den Betrachter mit ihren leuchtenden braunen Augen fixiert und die Hände über der Brust verschränkt hält. Ihre Arme sind mit Mustern bemalt, welche andeuten, dass es sich bei der Frau nicht um eine gewöhnliche Frau handelt, sondern um eine besondere. Auch das Meer, welches im Hintergrund gegen sie zu schlagen scheint, rundet das Cover sehr schön ab. Mir gefällt ebenso die Farbgebung, da das komplette Cover in einem Lilaton gehalten ist, welcher die braunen Augen der Frau und die Muster auf ihrem Arm noch stärker zum Ausdruck bringen.
Der Klappentext gibt Euch nur einen ganz kleinen Einblick in die wahre Geschichte, da diese so spannend und komplex ist, dass man es nicht in ein paar wenige Sätze packen kann. Rhuna ist nicht gewöhnlich. Selbst in der fiktiven Welt voller Magie, ist sie außergewöhnlich. Doch was soll sie tun? Besonders jetzt, da ein Feind ihre Heimat bedroht? Wer ist es und was kann sie gegen ihn tun?
Mehr möchte ich Euch noch nicht verraten, da mich die Story so überrascht hat, dass ich Euch diese Spannung nicht nehmen möchte.
Rhuna ist mein absoluter Liebling. Obwohl sie die ungewöhnlichen Fähigkeiten besitzt, denkt sie keinen Moment daran, aufzugeben. Sie möchte den Feind bekämpfen und sich nicht unterkriegen lassen, obwohl sie sich noch gar nicht sicher ist, was mit ihr geschieht. Sie ist eine starke Frau, die durch ihren Mut und ihre herzliche Art die Welt in ihren Bann zieht. Ich fand es besonders erfrischend, eine starke Protagonistin zu haben und keinen Protagonisten, da es meiner Meinung nach, viel zu wenig Frauen in den Heldenrollen gibt! Toll, ich will mehr davon! :-)
Die Geschichte wird auf eine solch leichte und angenehme Weise erzählt, dass ich das Buch überhaupt nicht mehr weglegen wollte. Sowohl die Wortwahl, als auch die Satzstrukturen scheinen den Leser in ihren Bann zu ziehen!
Ein großes Lob an Barabara Underwood und Daniela Mansfield, für diese Kunst mit Worten umzugehen!
Falls Ihr Euch denkt, es sei nur ein weiterer Fantasyroman, täuscht Ihr Euch. Dieses Buch ist voller neuer Ideen, welche Euch überraschen werden!
Fazit
"Rhuna - Hüterin der Weisheit" ist ein toller Fantasyroman, der seine Leser begeistert! Ich freue mich schon sehr auf Band zwei
March 2, 2015
Rhuna, Keeper of Wisdom, is sweet coming of age tale about an island girl who is different from her fellows because of her mixed heritage, a white-skinned Atlan father and a brown-skinned island mother. When Rhuna discovers a white man, Tozer, on her island, she becomes intrigued with the ways of the culturally and scientifically advanced Atlans, and thus begins her voyage of self-discovery and her discovery of the world about her.
Bursting with details about the Altan world-view and way of life, this part of the tale is immersive and enjoyable. Drawing deeply on the traditions of Easter Island and the myth - if indeed it is - of the civilization of Atlantis, the narrative weaves an underlying message of how the Atlans, who symbolise all that is good and noble and advanced in all spheres of civilisation, set out to educate and encourage the natives of their Atlan Empire into the paths of beautiful enlightenment. That is where the narrative began to grow uncomfortable for me. Essentially, the white Atlans are out to civilise the dirty, semi-naked brown savages. Anyone who does not fit in with the culturally imposed ideal, is ostracized, to be 'cut out like an infection'. I felt that ingenue main protagonist's limited world-view did not allow the author to treat these issues with the depth and sophistication they deserved. For someone who grew up amidst the deep racial divides of apartheid South Africa and who lives and works in Africa, this level of treatment was disappointing - however, we should not make the mistake of equating fiction with the author's own worldview.
However the writing remained fluid throughout. For my part, I would have preferred more action than was offered, but the tale is cohesive and all-embracing, even if told in a reporting style. There's an enormous focus on the technologies and techniques employed by the Atlans in terms of thought energies and holistic healing drawing on cosmic energies, the qualities of light and herbal medicine etc., as Rhuna grows into her powers and knowledge and abilities to help elevate the lesser peoples, but she remains a gentle and likable character throughout, who is true to her motivations and participates fully in all that her adopted culture has to offer.
Recommended fantasy which effortlessly draws the reader into a long-bygone age!
Bursting with details about the Altan world-view and way of life, this part of the tale is immersive and enjoyable. Drawing deeply on the traditions of Easter Island and the myth - if indeed it is - of the civilization of Atlantis, the narrative weaves an underlying message of how the Atlans, who symbolise all that is good and noble and advanced in all spheres of civilisation, set out to educate and encourage the natives of their Atlan Empire into the paths of beautiful enlightenment. That is where the narrative began to grow uncomfortable for me. Essentially, the white Atlans are out to civilise the dirty, semi-naked brown savages. Anyone who does not fit in with the culturally imposed ideal, is ostracized, to be 'cut out like an infection'. I felt that ingenue main protagonist's limited world-view did not allow the author to treat these issues with the depth and sophistication they deserved. For someone who grew up amidst the deep racial divides of apartheid South Africa and who lives and works in Africa, this level of treatment was disappointing - however, we should not make the mistake of equating fiction with the author's own worldview.
However the writing remained fluid throughout. For my part, I would have preferred more action than was offered, but the tale is cohesive and all-embracing, even if told in a reporting style. There's an enormous focus on the technologies and techniques employed by the Atlans in terms of thought energies and holistic healing drawing on cosmic energies, the qualities of light and herbal medicine etc., as Rhuna grows into her powers and knowledge and abilities to help elevate the lesser peoples, but she remains a gentle and likable character throughout, who is true to her motivations and participates fully in all that her adopted culture has to offer.
Recommended fantasy which effortlessly draws the reader into a long-bygone age!
October 21, 2016
A really interesting read with some unusual ideas and unique characters.
Rhuna's journey of self-discovery and personal growth begins when she stumbles into a strange man who appears to be hiding out in her favourite place of refuge, a small cave located in a corner of her isolated island home of Chinza.
A really interesting blending of ancient civilisations on our Earth has been created by the author to provide a unique backdrop to Rhuna's journey.
Great characters, fluid and descriptive writing and the unique Atlantis-like civilisation is a fascinating one.
The ancient utopian society the Atlans have developed over millennia is a fascinating one and its leaders and their ideas of dealing with less developed peoples provide some quite thought provoking moments.
Pleased I already have the next book of the trilogy to follow whatever Rhuna's next series of challenges may be. Definitely worth checking out - it's definitely an atypical young adult coming of age story, and all the better for it.
Rhuna's journey of self-discovery and personal growth begins when she stumbles into a strange man who appears to be hiding out in her favourite place of refuge, a small cave located in a corner of her isolated island home of Chinza.
A really interesting blending of ancient civilisations on our Earth has been created by the author to provide a unique backdrop to Rhuna's journey.
Great characters, fluid and descriptive writing and the unique Atlantis-like civilisation is a fascinating one.
The ancient utopian society the Atlans have developed over millennia is a fascinating one and its leaders and their ideas of dealing with less developed peoples provide some quite thought provoking moments.
Pleased I already have the next book of the trilogy to follow whatever Rhuna's next series of challenges may be. Definitely worth checking out - it's definitely an atypical young adult coming of age story, and all the better for it.
November 20, 2018
Promotes colonial imperialism and child marriage (an adolescent girl to a man with "gray in his beard," who was friends with her father). I kept reading hoping that the author would present at the least a balanced view of these subjects, or at best a twist of plot where she revealed their dark underbelly; but I was sadly disappointed. She painted a rosy picture of this stomach-turning marriage and a whitewashed view of colonialism, presenting native peoples (non-Atlans) as savages who were incapable of growing crops, making clothes, or erecting "proper" shelters without a white savior to teach them such things. As a white person living in Africa, this attitude is disgusting. I have witnessed some of the lasting detrimental effects of colonialism here. I recognize that I have as much to learn from my African brothers and sisters as I might want to teach them. And here as well, I have heard stories about older men taking child brides. I find the author completely naive to the institute of marriage.
June 16, 2015
This is the first book that I have read that is written by Barbara Underwood. I can honestly say that I love her writing style. The way she describes things is amazing - makes you feel like you are there experiencing it all first hand.
The way that the story in a whole is written is amazing also. Rhuna - is a young girl who is trying to find herself and about her past. I don't write spoilers - so I can just say that you have to read this book and by doing so that you will enjoy the different characters who are involved in the story. You will also find that this is one of those hard to put down once you start reading type books.
I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
The way that the story in a whole is written is amazing also. Rhuna - is a young girl who is trying to find herself and about her past. I don't write spoilers - so I can just say that you have to read this book and by doing so that you will enjoy the different characters who are involved in the story. You will also find that this is one of those hard to put down once you start reading type books.
I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
July 10, 2015
Great Reading
This is a book that will keep you interested from start to finish. The characters are strong and the dialogue is good. This fantasy leads you through a almost perfect world until the bad guy show as up again causing problems. I am eager to get started on book two to see how Rhuna handles herself and the bad guy.
This is a book that will keep you interested from start to finish. The characters are strong and the dialogue is good. This fantasy leads you through a almost perfect world until the bad guy show as up again causing problems. I am eager to get started on book two to see how Rhuna handles herself and the bad guy.
October 7, 2016
Inner Strength
What a unique and intriguing story. Be ready to be pulled into the story with many adventures and twists you don't see coming. Love the inner strength of Rhuna and how she overcomes those that shun her.
A great adventure and I can't wait to read the next book~
What a unique and intriguing story. Be ready to be pulled into the story with many adventures and twists you don't see coming. Love the inner strength of Rhuna and how she overcomes those that shun her.
A great adventure and I can't wait to read the next book~
October 12, 2016
Great read.
April 2, 2017
Not kindle unlimited, also not particularly readable by sight as choppy and has lack of decent paragraphs, line breaks, etc, the background/age of some of the characters vs other characters is icky to say the least, and even trying to listen with the pc for kindle with audio was impossible. I don't need to be told things that have nothing really to do with anything else, nor lectures or whatever, and no idea what most was supposed to even be about, yet this was said to be a young adult urban fantasy, what part was urban and really what part was young adult and not really much fantasy to speak of either. Long rambling book that had no purpose or direction or real point.And what do the pyramids have to do with anything. Then goodreads has part of the title saying 'historic' fantasy novel, really? Could go on almost as long as author's book about the issues with this book, but don't want to get off track or be as inane. Addendum, 4th of a 'trilogy'....
Rhuna - Keeper of Wisdom (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 1)
Rhuna - Crossroads (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 2)
Rhuna - The Star Child (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 3)
Rhuna - New Horizons (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 4) {4th of a trilogy??}
Rhuna - Keeper of Wisdom (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 1)
Rhuna - Crossroads (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 2)
Rhuna - The Star Child (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 3)
Rhuna - New Horizons (YA Urban Fantasy Series Book 4) {4th of a trilogy??}
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