Crossroads

Rhuna #2

by Barbara Underwood

Rhuna is a woman living in the mystical past of highly advanced civilizations like Atlantis, when pyramids and other megalithic structures were made with technology now lost and forgotten. Part of this ancient legend tells of people with special abilities who can transform elements, such as sand to stone and lead to gold, with the concentrated power of the mind. They could also summon mental visions of faraway places and events, and call upon cosmic, solar, lunar and earth energies.
Rhuna has been gifted with more of these superhuman abilities than most, and as her powers grow, she faces ever greater challenges, both on a personal level and in far-reaching issues that affect everyone around her. Her nemesis is a man with similar exceptional powers, who has chosen to use them for selfish purposes which harm Rhuna’s idyllic, utopian society.

" Crossroads" is the second book in this paranormal, alternative history series "A Quest for Ancient Wisdom", and can also be read as a standalone novel.

Some years have passed since Rhuna helped to defeat the Dark Master in her new home of Atlán, and now Rhuna has a teenage daughter who accompanies her on an assignment in Ancient Egypt to investigate some disturbing reports.

She soon discovers an astonishing underground network of the Dark Master's followers, along with the secret group of Atlans dedicated to stopping them. In the process of trying to carry out her assignment, Rhuna is confronted with enormous challenges that could drastically change her entire life and everything she has ever believed in!

Genres: Amazon, Fantasy

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 8, 2015

About the author

As 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!

Reviews

[Melissa (Mel’s Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I have ever read a historical fiction fantasy novel before! I really enjoyed this book. It is the second of a trilogy. Even though I have not read the first one, I had no problem getting into the story and the wonderful setting.

Rhuna is a grand master in the council of Atlán, a place where there is little to no violence and people treat each other with respect. People have inner wisdom and live together in peace and harmony, quite a utopian society. Atlán also presides over numerous colonies. Rhuna gets sent to one of these colonies across the ocean to investigate some events that have occurred. She takes her daughter with her. There begins their adventure in this foreign land. Being an Atlán master, Rhuna has numerous gifts such as the ability to have visions and change elements and she soon begins helping the less fortunate members of the colony. But there are some people out to stop Rhuna from discovering that the unfortunate events that have been occurring may have something to do with a dark master whom Rhuna had destroyed years before.

I thought this book was really well written and so clever. I just loved that she could use her powers to speak with her husband and the council back in Atlán. The fact that they could ultimately spy on each other's every move was also a really creative way to add a whole new dimension to this book to make it really unique. Rhuna was so conflicted with having to keep a proper and level mindset of a master, to that of a woman in a new place that is so different from Atlán. Her heart was taking her in a different direction than she was expecting.

I really enjoyed all the characters except I had a bit of trouble keeping up with all the "keeper of wisdom" type names. A few times I couldn't remember who was who and got a bit confused. I loved her daughter and her spirit. And I enjoyed reading about the majority of the secondary characters. I do wish that I had read the first book to get a better understanding of Rhuna as she grew up.

There was some romance in this book which I was sort of hoping for, but then conflicted as Rhuna already has a husband that she seems to love. I think maybe I would have been more conflicted if I had read the first book which apparently introduces Tozar and how they come to be together. I wasn't a fan of how abruptly she decided "Ok I love someone new now". BOOM. However I can understand how her husband was holding her back from becoming the person she was meant to be. It just felt a bit abrupt, however I am interested to see how it pans out in the future.

I enjoyed the mystery, and loved the setting with the pyramids and the secret rooms and thought this whole book was really clever.

Would I recommend Rhuna: Crossroads?

Yes for any fans of Egyptian historical fiction melded with fantasy and mystery! It was a really enjoyable read and I am really looking forward to the sequel!

Many thanks to author Barbara Underwood for a copy of Rhuna: Crossroads in exchange for my honest review.

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[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because this is my wife’s book, and I did some of the proofing on it, those reading the review will no doubt weigh that in regard to the review.

That being said, however, for those who enjoy the genre of fantasy based on ancient history and events, I believe this is a great read. There is suspense, and a narrative of fairly fast-flowing events in exotic places. The locations mirror real places that students of ancient lands and peoples, or those with a background in such, will no doubt recognize, even though other names are used. Those familiar with some of Thor Heyerdahl's speculations will definitely recognize a fictional application of them the deeper the reader gets into the series.

While it was necessary in the first book to introduce the characters and the milieu, slowing the narrative down a bit, Crossroads, having established the world, builds on it nicely, while expanding and further developing relationships and growth. The narrative takes right off, in fact, and is probably a bit more exciting and suspenseful than the first book. It has more action because of situations the protagonist, Rhuna, finds herself in, I believe.

There is much personal drama for Rhuna in this one, as her marriage at a young age — but not too young, as a few readers may have misunderstood lunar cycles — to someone much older, begins to crumble under the weight of her new experiences abroad, and the controlling dogma of a husband far away. Rhuna experiences passionate love as well, reluctantly coming to terms with the conflicted feelings in her heart. And of course, there is a daughter to consider, who must also begin to make choices.

Recommended for those who enjoy fantasy and speculative historical (not modern, but very ancient history) fiction, laced with a touch of magic, and a healthy dose of thinly veiled exotic locations. I actually believe Crossroads can stand alone, even if the reader hasn't read the first one — always a plus in any type of series — because it isn't too terribly difficult for the reader to get up to speed in Crossroads if they haven't. Well written and a great read for readers with a knowledgable background.

[Anthea Syrokou · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second instalment in the Rhuna series, we revisit Rhuna many years later. She is living in Atlan as a Healer and as an Atlan Master with her husband, Tozar, and their teenage daughter, Lozira. From the onset, I was so happy to reunite with the characters; to see how they evolved. The first thing that struck me was the mother/daughter relationship and the struggles Rhuna faces to keep her daughter in line, to follow Atlan principles and to learn as she had. Lozira would rather study the Creative Arts instead of learning the Atlan principles. I felt that Rhuna had been deeply swayed by the Atlan Empire, by their beliefs and policies, to the point that she had no mind of her own.

However, I was so glad and surprised to see that Rhuna too felt like she had no positive energy inside of her and was, in fact, advised by her husband, the most senior member of the Atlan High Council, that she should occupy her mind with a project. He sends her to the land of Safu in Ancient Egypt with Lozira to see how the Atlans are helping the people in learning the Atlan ways, as they have witnessed that unusual herbs have been taken by some that cause weird behaviour. They are also fearful of the Atlan Council in Safu.

I was really surprised with Tozar, and really angry with the way he speaks to his wife, Rhuna — Keeper of Wisdom. Here we have a strong, powerful woman being told that she cannot be who she is in such a condescending way. I immediately get a sense that her husband is impressed but also insecure when it comes to his wife’s powers.

It is here where the story takes such an interesting and unexpected direction. I was so glad to see that in Safu, amongst the pyramids and the exotic landscape, that Rhuna was able to let go and evolve into the person she was destined to evolve into. Rhuna spends her days trying to find out if the Atlans who were assigned to guide the people there are doing their jobs properly. It is so amazing to see how, at first, Rhuna follows the Atlan principles to the letter as though she has no mind of her own, but then begins to follow her instincts, which turns out to be the best option. This angers and dismays the Atlans back home and they try to make Rhuna question herself and tell her she is suffering from “Irrationality”. Here, the reader gets a glimpse that the Atlan way may not always be the right way. In the first book of the series, the reader assumes that the Atlan way may be the only way for many societies, and that they know best.

I was so impressed with how beautifully this story was written. I loved the dynamics between the mother and daughter, how both can learn from each other and learn to respect each other’s unique qualities. At first Lozira thinks she know best, like a typical teenager. Later we see how she begins to accept that her mother might know something — in fact, she discovers her mother knows a lot, and has powers that can influence and change society. Her daughter teaches Rhuna how to relax more with her appearance; that it is okay to have a bit of fun and to accentuate her positive features. I felt that the arguments between them were very realistic.

Another thing that surprised me in this book was the romance. I was very impressed with the author’s ability to create chemistry between a couple. I loved the natural progression that took place before we see if both capitulate to their desires.

I can honestly say that this book had it all: adventure, romance, deep, raw emotions — and an intriguing and suspenseful plot. While reading, I truly felt that the world Barbara Underwood created really exists — that’s how convincing the narrative was for me. At times I felt like I was walking through a fragrant garden, and at other times I felt like I was in a disturbing nightmare.

The challenges Rhuna faced, both in Safu and back in Atlan, had me cheering from the sidelines. There were times that I felt like shouting out the 90s term: “You go girl”. Many thoughts also entered my mind while reading, such as that there can be many perspectives and one power may think that their policies may be the only way and we might see the positive effect those ways may have, but if we look at things from a different perspective we would see that there are many flaws in these policies as well. The Atlans want a utopian society but their methods prove to have many limitations and flaws in this book. Their ways of doing things are not as unassailable as we first thought.

Reading this book was another magical ride into the world of Rhuna. I loved the first book and simply fell in love with the second book in the series as well. I was knowledgeable in many of the terms used in the first book, such as the "Gazing of the Waters", "Inside Focusing", and many more terms. It made the book easy to follow, and I was deeply impressed with the author’s ability to weave many of these intricate terms into the story in a plausible, credible way. The ending also took me by surprise — I did not foresee what eventuates at all. In fact, throughout the novel, I kept guessing what would happen, and was always surprised with the turn of events.

Rhuna — Crossroads is a unique, riveting, beautifully-written historical Fantasy book with many different layers. It deals with relationships, power struggles, how some principles in one society may not work as smoothly as they do in others, and I felt that it also touched on women and how many may be threatened by their power. It emphasised how the right man embraces a woman’s uniqueness and her abilities without placing restrictions upon her or being threatened by her. Barbara Underwood is a talented, and very creative story teller who intertwines real, deep human emotions in an imaginative world in such a clever way — making her characters believable, deep, and complex. I look forward to seeing where else Rhuna’s journey takes her in the third book in the series. A wonderful, riveting, enjoyable read!

[Gary Sites · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this wonderful second installment of the Rhuna series, Underwood transports the reader on a mesmerizing odyssey deep into the heart of ancient Egypt, a place baptized as Safu in the folds of this narrative. That bygone world unfurls before our eyes, a mirage of pyramids and mystique, woven with the kind of fantastical prose that mirrors the echoes of Edgar Rice Burroughs, albeit with a softer hue. The pyramids, a fascinating subject for this reader, become even more intriguing within this brilliant story.

Two decades have slipped through the fingers of time for Rhuna since we last met her at the culmination of RHUNA: KEEPER OF WISDOM. Now she is the mother of a beautiful, teenage daughter of her own. Lozira, who doesn’t aspire to the magical healing work of her mother, but has a consuming passion for the creative arts.

In the distant lands of Safu, the whispers of evil doings and fearful cries of the Benshi people find their way to the High Counsel. Rhuna, handpicked by the leaders of Atlan, steps onto the path of destiny, embarking on a journey that stretches across the realms of enchantment and danger. Her and Lozira embark on an thrilling adventure, which Rhuna hopes will weave the strands of their lives into a tighter bond. Little does she know that along the unfolding paths of this exotic tapestry, this journey will stand as her CROSSROADS, a convergence of destinies and a reckoning with the enigmatic forces that stir in the shadows of the pyramids.

Highly recommended reading enjoyment!

[Coco.V]

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[C.C. Campaign · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the leader falls, the followers seek to finish what their master failed to complete. We were left in a sea of victory in the first installment in the Rhuna series. Rhuna captures our attention once again by bringing us along with her daughter to stop the next generation of possible Dark Masters. 

Rhuna is no longer the girl we knew from the first book. She's a mother, mature, grounded, but her foundation is shaken to learn of the past coming back to attack a foreign place. We see the growth of her powers from the first book as her visions and control of the elements have increased, but notice they could be used against her if she is not careful. She may have grown up but she must grasp her master abilities and not lose control. 

A complete step up from the original book! If you are in love with Egyptian historical cultures and fantasy, pick up this series! Positively enjoyed this sequel!

[Sue Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This - the second book of the Rhuna Fantasy Book Series - is as amazing as the first book. Barabara Underwood does an awesome job of vividly describing her characters and describing the fast-paced plot of the story.

The contrast between the ascetic lifestyles of Rhuna's adopted home country of Atlan being compared with the fun loving people she meets on her trip to distant Egypt, will keep you interest throughout the story. I do not write spoilers -- but you will find that this is definitely one of those hard to put down books once you start reading it!!!

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Ian Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author’s writing style is often more lyrical and poetic than it is dramatic, but it suits the dream-like fantasy realm in which her story is couched. A lot of New Age ideas find a home in this fantasy world and are easily accepted as part of the rules of this world, as entirely apart from our own. But for those holding New Age beliefs, this book might well also serve as a primer or initiation into one path of spiritual unfolding. Definitely this is as much metaphysical and spiritual fantasy as it is an epic-style fantasy adventure. And it is also a sci-fi fantasy fusion. Fans of legends and stories of Atlantis and Lemuria will be right at home here. But if you read book one, you know what to expect, and if you didn’t, the sequel stands up pretty well on its own.

Fans of the Ancient Aliens TV series should also feel welcome. A small example from early in the book will suffice to illustrate: “The three large pyramids, each covered in different metals and alloys, constitute the most powerful energy harnessing and storage station of the Empire. The rainless climate of Safu guarantees continuous solar energy and the cloudless night skies provide ample lunar energies.”

As you’re reading you feel you’re being steeped in a world with very unique and bizarre practices that will only slowly become fully comprehensible. Don’t expect to take in this richly woven tapestry all at once. There is an ornate nature to the storytelling that just forces the reader to absorb what they can as they read on and expect that numerous things which are hard to understand or that seem mysterious will be clarified in time. I suspect the elaborate extent of the world-building is why the author went with a series of books rather than a single installment. It can at times make the reading a bit dense and slow-moving. But just remind yourself you’re in an act one of a novel, and good things come to he who waits for all the puzzle pieces to be slipped into place. Forget the speed reading and just relax into this one.

As the story advances, we find that Rhuna is raising a daughter to carry on in her tradition. But even as she attempts to show her daughter the way, it becomes clear that this is as much a coming of age story for the mother. Her tendency to revere the Atlan civilization (I think we can read Atlantis here) is called into question as she comes to find many of their ways questionable and corrupt. She is forced to ask herself difficult questions on just when and how it is justifiable to intervene in a more primitive culture. For those that love entertaining the idea that history does not represent linear progress, but a repeated fall from grace from prior more advanced civilizations that lost their way, before collapsing under the weight of their own corruption, this one is for you.

[Marc Secchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first book in this series but having some reservations, I enjoyed the second installment much more thoroughly. The main character, Rhuna, undergoes many formative experiences in this faster-paced sequel which draws us rapidly into an ancient civilisation far from her adopted home of Atlan, far from those she loves and far from her husband Tozer. The transformation in Rhuna and her initially naive worldview is almost dazzling, yet shaded with dark events, as the plot makes clear. Separated from her kindly but older and hidebound husband by her assignment in a faraway colony, Rhuna soon comes to question the ideals of the wise and all-knowing civilisation of the Atlans, with profound consequences for her life and work, her daughter who undertakes the journey with her, the colony she arrives in, and even for her marriage.

From this perspective the work is innately more mature, complex and nuanced than the first book, and therefore for me, much more enjoyable.

[plot spoiler] I did not enjoy Rhuna's insta-love for a man she encounters in the faraway colony and the ease with which she breaks away from everything that is dear to her. While the situation is not uncommon nor unexpected, it seemed to happen rather tritely. She thinks about it and decides she's in love.

I question the author's use of the ability of visions or vision-casting to be able to show almost everything, past and present, even from a great distance. While this allows communication as a clever plot device enabling the involvement of remote parties in the main narrative, it also began to feel clumsy at times, as though it interfered with the narrative flow or the author kept having to contrive situations where some doings could not be spied upon. On the other hand, the author used this device ably in creating and maintaining the tension.

In part one I commented strongly on the Utopian 'white' Atlan civilisation imposing its higher, more refined ways and beliefs upon native peoples and that seeming idealised in the narrative. In part 2 this is turned on its head. Fantastic! The author questions for example the reasons one might go to war, what if pacifism does not work, and what happens if the 'enlightened' become corrupt and selfish, or greedy for power? We question whether new technology, ideas and values truly are 'good' or 'what the natives need'. This is complex ground but dealt with very well by the author - kudos that both sides are portrayed, warts and all, in this fine sequel! I rate this 5/5 stars.

[Liesbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is an emotional rollercoaster, I even felt the pains that Rhuna was going through. It is exceptional written and love the different cultures, foods and society structure that is written down. You see a big difference between the Atlan way, that seems to distance themselves from any emotion. And the land of Safu, where it is a hustle and bustle of different emotions.

When we begin this story, already some solar cycles pass by and Rhuna has a daughter. Loriza with Torza. Rhuna feels bored and when an disturbing account comes from the Land of Safu, Torza and the high council encourages her to travel as a representative of the High Council of Atlan. But she is not going alone, she goes with her daughter Loriza, were she feels a bit estranged from.

When they arrive they encounter very odd customs in the Land of Safu. Rhuna doesn't know that her life is going to change forever.She faces challenges that trust her deeper into a world of conspiracy. Can Rhuna convince the High Council that there is foul play involved by the Dark Ones, or are they going to condemn her as an irrational woman that has no business anymore to represent the Atlan Council? And what about Keeper of Justice, why is she feeling those heartfelt feelings for him?

When Rhuna met Torza, she married him because as a child adoration for him, because he rescued her. But what she feels for Keeper of Justice, is a woman who starts to explore herself.

Slowly you begin to see that the Atlan Empire from a different perspective. And you see why the native people insist that the Atlan Empire is forcing their way upon them. Emotions are running up so highly even in the High Council succumbs to them, even though they claim to approach the situation without feelings. I love the inner focusing (meditation), the gazing of waters (scrying) and the introducing of drugs to enhance their visions.

I love the story so much, that I read it in one go. Love the explanations going on of what the purpose is of the pyramids of Safu (Ancient Egypt). If you love to read about Egypt and Atlantis, this is the book to read. Full of action and danger, mixed with passion and colorful emotions running high.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rhuna: Crossroads is book two in the Rhuna Fantasy series. In this portion, it's several years later. Rhuna now has a teenage daughter and has grown into her powers and has become a valuable asset to the Atlan council. She however has a false sense of security believing that with the Dark One gone, that all is well. When rumors of the Atlan colony Safu's council members mistreatment of the natives come to light, Rhuna is selected to represent Atlan and investigate. Her teenage daughter Lozira decides to go with her to learn the creative arts Safu is famous for. What they didn't realize was that this journey set them on a path that will change their lives forever.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel far better than book one. It was fast paced and quite a page turner. I was kept curious throughout the story what Rhuna's visions would uncover next. The emotional aspect was realistic as Tozar refused to believe in her and continually reprimanded her about her attire. It was as if he couldn't grasp that the robe was a source of intimidation. All in all, this was an amazing book and I look forward to reading book three, Rhuna: Star Child.

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Rhuna series. We jump ahead in time from Rhuna being a young married woman in Book #1 to her as the mother of a teenager. Because of her power and involvement in the death of the Dark Master, Rhuna has been appointed to the Atlan High Council. There are troubling reports from one of their colonies about followers of the Dark Master at work. Rhuna is asked to travel to the colony and investigate. Although she and her daughter don't see eye to eye, it becomes a mother/daughter trip for Rhuna. The author does a great job portraying the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. Admiration, irritation, love, and so much more are experienced during their trip and time in Benshu. The Dark Master's acolytes are still at work, even in this remote colony. Rhuna's well-meaning inquiries cause upset with the Atlan High Council and eventually lead to her removal from the Council. I was surprised many times during this reading with plot twists that I didn't see coming. I wish a narrative brought us up to date with the changes in Rhuna's life at the beginning of the book, the gap in time was distracting. This is a good second book that expands the main character and introduces new characters that will be in the next book in the series as well. I'm looking forward to Book #3 to see where we go next!

[John Love IV · Rating 2 out of 5]

The more I read the series, the less interested I was in the story or characters. I had little sympathy or liking for any of the characters. I found the men patronizing, preachy, and unrealistic. The women were no better and mostly weak followers. The writing style was stiff and overly formal as were conversations between characters.

When the lead female decided to be independent, she immediately, with little cause, rejected everything she stated she believed and her husband. I just didn't buy it. Nor did I buy the reaction of her husband or the rest of the leadership.

Basically, I didn't buy into the characters or their motivations. The bad guys, pathetic typecast, were foiled out of the blue with little tie in to the leads. The new love interest is able to draw her away from her husband without hardly trying. And new characters are introduced at the end of the book with no purpose but to get you to buy the next book.

Perhaps these things are explained in later books. I don't know and doubt I ever will. I don't see myself ever reading any more of these.

A lot of people seem to like these. If you do, good for you. To each his (or her) own.

[Pat Raab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes a little difficult to follow, especially with the unusual titles of the characters.

[Mandy Walkden-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Rhuna continues in this second book of the trilogy and centres on her visit to the land of Safu (the equivalent of ancient Egypt). This time she travels with her daughter, leaving her husband at home. It's intriguing to watch how she blossoms away from the insular Atlan capital, because she has to follow her own path through some complicated and unfamiliar territories, emotional, physical and political.

Her Atlan powers expand, much to the detriment of the sinister creepy guys still hovering in the background creating havoc.

Some delightful new characters, new challenges for Rhuna and an intriguing mystery to solve.

This world and characters have really grown on me and I'm now itching to discover what happens in the next book, especially after the very unexpected revelation that appeared in the closing pages.

I received a free copy from the author via eBook Discovery. This is my honest review.

[Shirley McLain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series

This is book two of GeoRgina Series and it is great. It is well written and held my interest to the last word. I'm ready to read book three as soon as I can find it. If you like good magic, love, surprises and of course a touch of evil then you will like this book. You will need to read book one to fully understand what is happening. It can be read on it's own but you will be depriving yourself of another great read.