This is a YA Dystopian Fantasy that starts with children dumped into an abandoned setting, but soon takes a dark turn into “Lord of the Flies.” The basic premise is a bit of a stretch, but this is YA Fantasy, after all. The science element is downplayed, a wise choice in this case. The practicalities […]
“Zephyr’s Flight” by Ray Strong
This novel is an interesting departure from most Dragonrider stories. For one thing, the dragons don’t speak clearly or act reasonably, so we are forced deeper into the thoughts and feelings of Astria, the main character. The attraction of the book is watching her grow and mature. Unfortunately, the author uses the alien nature of […]
“Light of Hand” by Geth McCrimmon
This is a YA fantasy that will resonate with teenagers. It has a marvelous tone, especially the dialogue. The two main characters have a wonderful relationship, realistically presented. While the vocabulary is advanced, the level of wit will also appeal to adults who influence the purchase of the book. Some of the parenthetical asides are […]
“Freeborn” by Steven Callum
“Freeborn” by Steven Calkum This is a fun story. It is older YA fantasy (violence and blood) with a romantic sub-plot tastefully handled. It has sympathetic main characters, a rich cultural and historical setting, realistic conflicts at several different levels, and plenty of action and suspense. It contains the necessary serious themes we expect from […]
“The Prophesied” by M. C. diFranco
This is a YA Fantasy novel that will probably appeal to a rather narrow readership. There is not enough external action for many readers, and the bulk of the conflict is interpersonal or internal. For the first part of the book, the plotline holds its own, with good physical conflict, balanced by the usual […]
“Ether Realms: Saving Korvath” by Latrell Veal
I recently had an online conversation with some fellow professional editors, worrying about how to help a writer who had two separate points of view in his book, both of them first person. In other words, the story was all in “I” pronoun, but in alternating chapters the “I” switched to the other person. One […]
“The Discovery of Geminus” by Neil Orint
This is a YA Fantasy of epic proportions. It involves three friends who enter a magical alternate reality where they are required to develop into heroes to save the locals from evil. This new world encompasses a polyglot mixture of historical eras, including West Coast Indigenous legends, steampunk technology, sasquatches, and 16th Century Conquistadors who […]
“Ironborn” by Andrew Cavanagh
“Ironborn” is a fun, action-filled YA Fantasy novel that does not quite live up to its hype. Publicists should not toss the names of Terry Pratchett and Joe Abercrombie around lightly; raised expectations are the main cause of one-star reviews. Setting that aside, this is a reasonable book of its kind, full of quirky but […]
The Soulburn Talisman” by David McIlroy
This is a great YA Fantasy novel based on the common plot of children who are snatched from their normal lives and find themselves in a different, magical world where they must survive. Action begins immediately, with horrendous fog monsters, claustrophobic tunnels, a beautiful sorceress and a mysterious voice that speaks into their minds. From […]
“Shadow Cast” by Rachel Meenan
This is a young adult Fantasy that I am having trouble connecting to a specific age group. In general, it is well structured, with the layers of conflict set up neatly, most of them coming directly from the personalities of the individuals involved. The plotline is complex, involving reasonable problems with difficult solutions. The main […]