Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

fantasy

A speculative series worth investing in: Review of Beneath the Forsaken City by C.E. Laureano

Last summer I took a chance on a new series of speculative (think fantasy/adventure) fiction, even though I wasn’t sure it was the genre for me. But author C.E. Laureano hooked me from the start of The Song of Seare series, and I gobbled up book one. You can read my thoughts about it here. Book Two recently released, and my expectations were high. (Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my review.)

forsaken cityBeneath the Forsaken City continues the tale of the faithful men and women fighting for the heart and soul of their land which is deep in darkness under the influence of an evil king. It’s hard to talk about a second book in a series without giving away too much from the first book, so I’ll try, instead, to tell you what I like about the series overall.

First, I’m in awe of an author creating an entire world, including a language, that is similar to an existing world but not quite the same. Seare (pronounced SHAR-uh) is reminiscent of Britain, with influences from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. It’s an island nation with clans and the setting is somewhat medieval with horses, castles, kings and sword-fighting. And yet it’s entirely its own world.

At times it reminds me of Lord of the Rings and other times I think of The Princess Bride. The stories contain a lot of action and suspense, some hints of romance, and plenty of food for thought about faith, spirituality, and morality.

It is not hard to get lost in this world and be completely caught up in the characters. The stories move along at a pace that keeps you turning the pages. And book two definitely left me aching for book three. All in good time, I guess. That’s the worst part of reading the second book in a trilogy: having to wait for book three to wrap it all up!

When it comes to this set of stories, though, the wait is worth it. And the wait for book three will be worth it too.

If you’re looking for something different than what you normally read, or if you’re looking to add to your collection of fantasy/adventure stories, look to this series. (But don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

Remember who you are: Review of The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

I recently finished reading Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga, books 1-3 (a fourth is on its way). Below are some overall impressions of each of the books. I wouldn’t want to ruin the story for anyone, so I didn’t get too specific about plot. My husband read these first and it was hard for him to not talk about what happens in each of the books until after I’d read them. I’d recommend these books in a nanosecond.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

I have loved Andrew Peterson’s musical stories for years, and after my husband (who typically does not read books quickly) tore through this series, I was eager to give them a shot. This first book in The Wingfeather Saga starts slow and builds a lot of background for the Igiby family. It’s not that it’s a hard read or a bad story or anything. I love the relationships between the children, their mother and grandfather, and the trouble they find themselves in. Everything I love about Peterson’s music translates to the pages of this story somehow, and I found myself wishing there was a soundtrack for the book. I am wowed by Peterson’s creativity in forming a world with fascinating and frightening creatures with detailed descriptions and amusing names. I’ve said that I’m not a fan of the fantasy genre, but I think I’m being won over of late by works like this. I look forward to sharing these stories with my kids as they get older and letting their imaginations run wild. This book will whet your appetite for more. (And thankfully, there are more!)

North! Or Be Eaten

If the first book started slow, then this book is the opposite. I felt like it started with action and never let up through the whole book. It was intense and thrilling. The middle book(s) of a series sometimes lack a little as they pave the way for the conclusion, but not so this one. It was my favorite of the three (a fourth is to come). The Igiby children learn tough and valuable lessons as they flee for their lives. They struggle to work together and wonder if their mission is worth it. They long for the good-old days, before they knew who they were and the responsibility that carried. Worked throughout the story is the struggle of living enslaved to an evil power (the Fangs) although life was simpler and fleeing and fighting that evil for the promise of something better. As in the first book, the creatures and lands Andrew Peterson created in his mind translate well on the page. Maps and illustrations are a small part of that. He has the ability to take a familiar animal and transform it into something fitting for this mythical world. A page-turner, for sure. My husband warned me not to read them too quickly or I’d find myself at the end wanting more. But the story is so good, I couldn’t put it down.

The Monster in the Hollows

Just when you think you know what’s going to happen and how things are going to end, Andrew Peterson gives you a shocking and surprising twist. And you LOVE him for it. The Igiby family finds themselves in their mother’s homeland but things are far from easy. Peterson weaves deep truths into this story, the most memorable for me is this: Remember who you are. The characters struggle with identity and perception and guilt and shame. Through it all they grow and change and affect the world around them for good. I didn’t want this book to end because book 4, the concluding piece, is still a long way off. But Peterson’s story is so captivating, you can’t take it slow. So my only word of caution is that once you start this series, you’ll finish it quickly and find yourself eager for the conclusion. Book 4 can’t come soon enough!