Ravs Are Rarely Wrong: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol III

The Kinowenn Chronicles #3

by Rachel Ronning

Return to the land of Kinowenn in Book 3 of this imaginative series. Join Lucy, Justin, Taran, and Gavin as they travel through the mists, facing damp misery, flesh-eating insects, and nightmare creatures to uncover the source of malice bent on the destruction of the free lands of Kinowenn. Joss struggles to find his place as King of Lerramorre and works with Maya to keep his lands from collapsing from within. On the way, they challenge long-held standards by opening up new roles for women. Meanwhile, Lucy faces difficult decisions as she grows into her magical powers. Can Lucy help her friends unite diverse kingdoms to fight a common foe? Or will they face the enemy alone?

Genres: Fantasy

320 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2015

Reviews

[Ian Yarington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I certainly enjoyed the book, I won it as a giveaway, but as it frequently happens when you start with the 3rd book I wish I had started with the first two first. Of course that is to be expected and nothing against the author or the book, because like I said, I really enjoyed it. Fantasy books like this are my absolute favorite and the way authors bring their own twists and build their own worlds is so much fun to read! Good job Rachel Ronning! :)

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!

Best of the series so far. Hurry with #4, and don't forget that map!

[Jae]

What I really liked about Rachel's book, well, all three of them, really, is how she interwove different fantasy elements into the stories, without overdoing it. When I tell people about this series, I tell them it's, at the most tacit way of saying it, Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings. But it's more than that, really.

The story starts out hinting at the events ahead. But... I almost forgot about the beginning of the book, until she reconnected the beginning with the end, and I had one of those "Aha! Well Played!!" moments. I also liked the references to classic fantasy genre novels, such as the Chronicles of Narnia (the most obvious reference.) The story drew me in very quickly. And, I liked that there didn't seem to be a major Dark antagonist waiting around the corner. Lucy actually faced several protagonists, with varying degrees of panache. Kind of how you and I deal with situations in our lives; we handle some things better than others, and hopefully learn from our mistakes.

I liked the series because the characters were believable. Lucy comes in with a set of skills, and as she gains new skills, and learns fairly early on that she is quite powerful, still maintained her flaws and weaknesses. Justin was *almost* too good to be true, but... some guys are really just that wonderful, I guess. I appreciated Maya's linguistic abilities--I speak several languages other than English, and Maya's linguistic prowess impressed even me. And Gavin, the comic relief of the group, was portrayed as yes, a fighter, but not the "dumb warrior" type. He would never be considered "cannon fodder" by anyone who has role-played a weapons master. Gavin was very good at what he did--but he WORKED for it. He didn't have the "I'm such Hot Stuff" attitude he could have had. He was constantly honing his skills, and learning more and more when encountering new people and ways to wage war.

I appreciated, I suppose most of all, Lucy's journey. If you role-play (RPG or LARP) you can almost SEE Lucy's progress be recorded on a character sheet. You can SEE her leveling up--after much work. Physical, emotional, mental, magical... Lucy has her set-backs, and she makes some mistakes. But as she comes to understand just how powerful she is, she manages to stay grounded. She does not think too highly of herself--in fact, if I had one criticism, Lucy seems to be almost TOO humble. I would like to see Lucy embrace her abilities for what they are, and be confident that she can do what she sets herself up to do. She works very hard, and her rewards SHOULD be great, and she SHOULD feel good about herself.

There were some plot twists that took me by surprise (e.g. Quinn) and there were story lines and sub-plots that had me wondering, "Hmm... I wonder how this is going to pan out." I loved the character Joss, and his single-minded pursuit of the woman of his dreams. That has not been resolved yet--I wonder how that will all pan out. Taran's story made me sad.

I liked how Rachel incorporated several different species into her story, many I had never even heard of. And some that I have heard of, e.g. Pixies, Brownies, Sprites, Fairies, and the like were even described slightly differently than common understanding might have done. Fairies can be petty, Pixies can be mean, and Brownies... well... they aren't just chocolate bars you know.

I did have to laugh at the scene in the Skelt dungeons, with the character who announced a forthcoming event. It's one of those things that you think couldn't possibly happen; it would seem too ridiculous to even think of such a thing--but again--it's one of those things that has not been revealed yet, and leaves me wondering how these events will come about.

The series is enjoyable; it's light reading, something that teens and adults can enjoy. Although there are a couple romances inherent to the story, there were no overt sex scenes. A few dalliances were hinted at, but in no great detail.

This was a good read, and a series I will probably reread, and pass along to other friends. Consider it a gift to yourself to curl up with the Chronicles of Kinnowenn with a fuzzy blanket, a cup of tea, and your favorite fur baby. We'll see you again when you emerge to stretch your muscles or quickly grab a sandwich before you return. Enjoy!!