Lichgates: Book One of the Grimoire Saga [NOOK Book]

Review - The Grimoire: Lichgates by S.M. Boyce

The Grimoire: Lichgates is the first book in The Grimoire Trilogy. In this first book the author, S.M. Boyce, throws Kara (the main character) and the reader into an entirely new work called Ourea. To get to this world, Lichgates are necessary. They are portals linking our world to the dangerous, yet beautiful, kingdoms of Ourea. They are scattered all over both worlds and it is through one of them in the Rocky Mountains that Kara stumbles.

Upon falling into an underground library, Kara finds waiting for her an old red leather book. The book is very magical. On it is a necklace with a pendant that looks like four crescent moons configured in the shape of a four-leaf clover. This book is so magical that there are blank pages throughout, but when asked the right questions the pages flip to sections and words appear with an answer.

This book is one of Kara’s only defenses against what lies in wait for her in Ourea. Upon opening the book, she has become the center of every kingdom’s focus; she is the Vagabond. Her purpose in this strange world is to reunite the four kingdoms in peace, fulfilling the goal of the first Vagabond who died a thousand years before.

This concept really caught me from the beginning. Like I said I was hooked from reading the first chapter alone. It takes a lot to do that with most books. Part of what kept me reading was the fact that this book doesn’t wait to get the reader into the action. There is no lead in chapters, no foreshadowing, no mercy. Kara is hiking one minute and in Ourea fighting for her life the next. Every time throughout the book it seems that there will be some time to relax (for the characters and readers alike) something happens. It’s almost impossible to put this book down. Lucky for me I was able to force the book down, which allowed me to savor every experience it held; there are many.

I loved many elements of this book. First off, the setting made me want to visit Ourea. I know this is impossible (not only because it’s not a real place) because if I went there, I’d most likely die (more on that soon.) Ourea is like the worlds of most fantastical stories. It has its beautiful landscapes, luxurious castles, and even a dreary kingdom no one wants to acknowledge. Its landscapes include forests, a kingdom nestled on top of a vertigo inducing multi mile high cliff, and even a kingdom found in a magical dome on the bottom of an ocean guarded by sharks. And it’s not just the places themselves that I fell in love with, it’s the way Boyce’s words describe them. I can’t do it justice in my own words, you’ll have to take my word for it or read the book. Her words paint a picture of every aspect allowing the reader to soak in the images.

The characters Kara encounters are very hard to figure out. This helps the story be what it is more than anything else. The Grimoire from the beginning warns Kara that she can’t trust anyone in Ourea. A lot of the times it seems like the characters can be figured out and trusted, but then there’s either a subtle or drastic hint to the contrary. As a reader I was always jumping to conclusions about a character only to change my opinion soon after. I’m still waiting for a character to make a turn for the worse, but we’ll see if that happens.

To wrap this up, The Grimoire: Lichgates is on my top five favorite books I have read this year and possibly in recent years. The only problem that I had with it is that I didn’t have the next book to read.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A++

If you are looking for a fantastic read, filled with fantasy, romance, and a sexy lead then this is a book for you! The book caught my attention and kept hold of it until the very end. The characters are well developed,the world is hypnotizing, and the plot is captivating. I can't wait for the next installment!

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

The best kind of torture!!!

I enjoyed every page of this book and wish I had read slower and made it last longer. To say the world S.M. Boyce has created is minus the typical elves, orcs, wizards and usual races you find in the average fantasy novel, is an understatement. She has taken the fantasy snow globe and shaken it beyond recognition. The races themselves are stunning, every being you meet leaves you wanting to know more about them. There is nothing typical or average about this book? Is it fall 2012 yet? No? Well i guess I will have to reread this until the next one comes out. This is a series to take seriously.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Fantastic world

This was a really fun read! Plenty of action and magic. The world itself was probably the coolest part. The author is clearly developing an expansive world for a series. I cant wait to see more of it in later books!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Boyce sells it at the concept, but she doesn¿t stop there.

I adored LICHGATES. It’s not my usual read, but Boyce is an exceptional writer with a very clever, POW story to tell. This would make a great movie. A great book. A great TV show. Great everything. I mean, Boyce sells it at the concept, but she doesn’t stop there. She delivers. I feel like there’s nothing I can say to do justice to this story. It’s just a neat adventure!



EMOTION
Ms. Boyce has some SERIOUS skill in making the reader FEEL for the character. Very powerful indeed. You do not often get emotion like this in genre fiction; in fact, I cannot remember the last time I felt this way while reading a genre novel.


VOICE
Easily accessible and at times just purely poetic, beautiful, and clever! It’s not flashy or overdone, nor is it simplistic to the point of being dull.


CHARACTERS
I really, REALLY, *adore* Kara. She’s complex, believable, strong, kind, intelligent. But she’s not *perfect* or obsessed over in a love-interest way by everyone in the novel. Plus, the emotion in this girl! I think she might be stronger than me because I cried for her more often than she cried for herself—and that just goes to show how clever SM Boyce is when it comes to writing emotion and being in tune with her characters.



Then there was Braeden. I really came to love his personality and complexities. He had me laughing out loud even more than Kara! And, of course, you’re rooting for him and Kara to get together. I’m betting the romance between Kara and Braeden will turn into something EPIC over the course of the rest of the series.



Regarding the First Vagabond: All I can say is the Vagabond has the best “voice” in the book and he made me laugh several times as well. If I could “do” anyone in this book, it’d be the first vagabond… LOL



As for the secondary characters, I REALLY loved the lore of the isen (not saying more than that. You’ll have to read to find out. It’s SO original and SO SO SO cool that I’d love a book that focuses just on this species!).



THEME
There are lots of delicious themes here. Fate versus free will. The consequences of our decisions. The power of self sacrifice. War against peace. Hiding your true self and so much more.


DIALOGUE
The dialogue is KICK ASS! My only complaint would be that Boyce didn’t have MORE dialogue. She’s so so so good at it. It’s natural, it flows, it feels real. Gah. Really. Can’t say enough good things about her dialogue. Her dialogue scenes totally swept me off my feet and made me forget I was reading. Can I change the rules and give this category 6 stars? Really, the dialogue was THAT good. Only better.


SETTING
Readers of this genre will ADORE the highly-detailed descriptions of setting in this novel. And if you don’t like long descriptions, the good news is that Boyce doesn’t trick you by sneaking it in all over the place. She sets the scene, then moves on with the action. So if you aren’t big into setting, you can easily just breeze over those passages and get on with it.


THE ENDING
I thought that ending was thematic and really a good hook for book 2 while still giving closure to this chapter in Kara’s adventure. OH and the EPILOGE. Good Grief! That really did me in. LOVED it! EEP! SQUEE! EEEK! AHHHHH! Yeah. It’s that good.



If I loved Lichgates this much (being outside the usual audience - this is NOT my usual genre), I don’t see how a fan of the genre couldn’t want to marry this book. Seriously. Buy it. Say “I do”. And wi

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Epic Fantasy at its finest!

Anybody who has ever met me knows that what I like about books are characters. I still like plot-driven books, but I really enjoy well-rounded characters with some complexity.
S. M. Boyce has succeeded, in the best of ways, to create a complex, mysterious world that is peopled by complex characters that pop off the page and spark. The main character, Kara, is a young woman who stumbles on a hidden world, through a gate that separates our world from the world of Ourea. There she finds out that she has a destiny that she never knew. The adventures that happen to her are both exciting and , at times, harrowing and dark.
This story is an exciting, epic fantasy that will draw you in with its complexity, and with warm you with its humor. If you are looking for a fantasy novel, the first part of a trilogy, that is different from the rest, S. M. Boyce has created that world. If you have been looking for a story with characters that feel so real they could be your friends, S. M. Boyce has created those characters
Ms. Boyce is so creative that you will wish you could have just an ounce of it for yourself. She is not done here. She’s just getting started. The finish of this book made me wish she was done with one of the others. (I’m desperate,Ms. Boyce! Hook me up! )
Do yourself a favor and buy this book. If you like epic fantasy, I would recommend this book with 6 stars. Unfortunately I can only give it five.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

In her debut fantasy novel, The Grimoire: Lichgates, S.M. Boyce

In her debut fantasy novel, The Grimoire: Lichgates, S.M. Boyce successfully engages the reader in a wonderful yet at time terrifying new world, Ourea. Kara Magari has no idea of the journey she faces when she first discovers a magical book that transports her to Ourea. After losing her mother, Kara must deal with the fact that her father (and everything else she’s known and loved) is gone as well. Throughout her adventures in Ourea, Kara meets quite the cast of characters, some who are delighted that there is now a new Vagabond (Kara), and others not so much, but all of which seem to have an agenda of their own.

Boyce does such a wonderful job at creating a world that at times I forgot it wasn’t real. While reading, I began to understand the culture, the politics, and even in some ways the very magical essence of Ourea. And while I wouldn’t want to take on the new responsibilities Kara must deal with, at times I was definitely envious of her chance to see some of the beautiful sights that this world bestowed. There were only a few times where I would get lost in the details and descriptions, though I’ll admit this may be more to do with staying up way past my bedtime to see what happened next, rather than due to any flaw in the writing.

The dialogue between the characters is often witty and the banter between Kara and Braeden made me laugh many times. The only time the dialogue ever seemed awkward or forced, was when it fit the situation which made the scenes all the more realistic.

The only complaint that I had upon finishing the novel was that it simply wasn’t long enough. I wanted more and am eagerly looking forward to the next two books. In the mean time, I intend to read Lichgates at least once or twice more!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Kara is living a relatively normal life. She is dealing with som

Kara is living a relatively normal life. She is dealing with some things, but overall she's ok. Well, that is until one day when she's wandering through the woods. She stumbles into a random cave and finds an old book. That talks to her. Kara soon finds herself in an entirely different world, known as Ourea. Traveling to a new world is not without it's perils, and Kara is very quickly caught up in things she doesn't even understand. Being declared the new "Vagabond," Kara must use skills old and new to try and keep Ourea from falling apart. With her grimoire and a handsome prince at her side, Kara will take on some amazing new challenges while discovering her place in this new world.

I found this book a bit hard to get into, because I felt like I had just been dropped into the middle of something at the beginning. I didn't quite get what was going on, and things just felt a little choppy. Once I got settled into the story though, things became much smoother. By the end of the book I was not ready for it to end. Kara was definitely someone I could relate to. She was thrown into this new world and new role, and she took it rather well. Having someone to discover Ourea with helped to increase my understanding of this new place. Braeden was also very cool. He's more than just your average royal. He has layers and some very interesting issues he has to deal with.

There is so much creativity in this book. The world and the peoples who populate it are unique and original. I almost feel like there could be a whole book on just the history and politics of Ourea. They have a lot going on. Visiting the different realms with Kara was fascinating as well. There are also new creatures to discover, and of course there's a lot of magic. All of these elements combine together to make a very interesting book. The end sets up for the next book perfectly. It has a clear ending, but it leaves things open enough that you want to come back and learn more. Fans of fantasy will definitely find tons to enjoy in this book, so be sure to check it out.

Book provided for review.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Can't wait for the next book!

Premise: When hiking in the Rocky Mountains, Kara Magari steps through a magical portal that takes her to the hidden world of Ourea. She becomes the master of the Grimoire, a book that will answer any question she asks of it. Now, as the Vagabond, Kara must unite Ourea while everyone in it seeks to use her to their own ends or kill her if they can't.

The Good:

Worldbuilding: First let me say that as a child I always daydreamed of traveling to another world and having adventures there. Not only does this book do that but it does it well, so it holds a special place in my heart. Not only that but Boyce twists the old myths of muses and demons into new races. Ourea is a beautiful vibrant world I enjoyed exploring throughout the story.

Characters: I grew to love both Kara and Braeden as the story progressed. Kara is strong of heart despite her past scars. I loved her intelligence and snark, even though that got her in trouble a lot. Braeden has scars of his own that he tries to overcome. He hides it well with his charm though. He had some of the best lines in the book. Even the villains were well rounded. They were not evil just because. Each had their own goals and reasons.

Story: Wow. Adventure, intrigue, and a little bit of romance. This story has it all and it is just beginning. This trilogy has the beginnings of an epic.

Pacing: It started a little slow, but soon picked up. By the last 100 pages I could not put the book down.

The Bad:
The first few chapters dragged a little for me but not enough for me to stop reading. They soon gained momentum.

Overall: Get this book. This is the Neverending Story for a new generation.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Here is the tale, and I warn you now, I cannot do it justice in

Here is the tale, and I warn you now, I cannot do it justice in one measly paragraph:

"Kara Magari is just a regular girl on a hike. One day she chooses to take the way less traveled by (not always the best idea Mr. Frost) and stumbles through a Lichgate. What is a Lichgate you may ask? It is a portal, wormhole, trapdoor in this world, leading straight through to another one. The world of Ourea. She finds herself in a library, and curiosity prods her to investigate the one book that will change her life forever. The Grimoire. The note attached seals her fate.

"From the moment you read these words, you will be hunted."

Kara begins the journey through Ourea. Quickly meeting Braeden Drakonin, a Blood Prince to an Evil King. Braeden is looking for a way out, a true escape from his father's grasp since he has been lying and hiding since he was twelve years old. "

My immediate thought, `here we go, another forbidden romance'.

I've never been happier to be wrong in my life!

Kara is strong. She has been through a lot but is never a wilting flower. She accepts her new role, but not so readily a completely new destiny. The journey takes center stage here.
This book is very fairytale-esque but not of the Disney kind. It is fast paced, a constant adventure which is exceptionally rare for a first novel. Hell, it's rare for any novel at all! It splinters into so much detail that I wouldn't truly know where to begin describing the trials the characters must go through.

Buy this book, then buy a copy for your friends, and I personally would even share it with any children over the age of 10. It's a fully fleshed adventure, and I'm sad I can only give it five stars!

I cannot wait until the next installment!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Had me thinking about the characters/world long after I finished...

Ultra quick synopsis: Kara likes to hike and while on holiday with her father, happens upon a door in a mountain. Through a series of events, Kara finds The Grimoire and becomes The Vagabond in a new world where everything can be deadly. The people have waited a thousand years for the next vagabond and now that she is here there are those who would use her and those who would kill her. Kara must decide who to trust if she is going to live to try to bring peace.
I loved the world that S.M. Boyce built. I can't wait for the next book to come out and I hope that Braedan and Kara can end up together. I loved visiting the different kingdoms, they sounded beautiful with completely different people native to each one. Overall, I loved Kara, she is thrown into an incredibly stressful and important position and refuses to be used. I think it would be easy to go along with what other (scarier, bigger, deadlier) Bloods want from her while she is in this strange land. But it also annoyed me when she would go beyond stubborn (like when she refused to wear the dress). I loved the griffin and the rownthe and Feck (he was adorable!) and the rest of her menagerie of pets.
There was a time when Braedan's adopted dad told Kara that she needed to watch how she spoke to his son (the new Blood). I didn't like this and wished that Kara had somehow been able to let him know it was not ok to tell how to watch her mouth. It happened in a roundabout manner, but I wanted more of, "I am the Vagabond, you don't tell me what to do!".

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wow! What a creative mind.

Wow! What a creative mind. I¿ve had the opportunity to get to know S.M. Boyce the past few months and I can tell you, it doesn¿t end here. Her mind is constantly teeming with new ideas. The reader gets a great taste of that in Grimoire: Lichgates. Every chapter is filled with new and unique monsters, races, or lands. No orcs and elves here. The one area I enjoyed most, which just so happens to be the area I had the biggest issue with, is her dialogue. It¿s quirky, funny, and really gives the reader insight into the characters. There just wasn¿t enough! I didn¿t expect the Grimoire: Lichgates to be as full of dialogue as a thriller or mystery, but I feel it¿s one of Boyce¿s strong points. I really wanted to see more. The descriptions could have been cleaned up a little. This is hard to explain. While grammatically correct and full of amazing details, I just wish it were more precise. This can be a delicate balancing act for any author in the fantasy genre and I¿m sure S.M. Boyce will only get better in her future work. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy and can¿t wait for Boyce to come into her own. She¿s close now and I can only see her getting better.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Lichgates by S. M. Boyce is a very interesting read. I love the

Lichgates by S. M. Boyce is a very interesting read. I love the idea of suddenly being thrown into a different world and playing a different role. There are days when I get tired of the everyday seems the same life where it is difficult to determine one day from the next. This book allowed me to envision what it would be like to live a different life, a life full of wonder and surprises. I cannot wait to read about more surprises and adventures from this series. 

Tedious, boring, dragged on and on. I couldn't even finish the b

Tedious, boring, dragged on and on. I couldn't even finish the book. I thought it would be a decent story from all the high ratings, but after trudging through half this tedious book, I suspect the four and five star ratings are all the author's friends or family.
Don't bother with this book. It's not worth the time.

A New Middle Earth... If you are a fan of LOTR, the writings of

A New Middle Earth...
If you are a fan of LOTR, the writings of Alan Garner, CS Lewis & the like, & have been yearning for a new era of these types of fantasy adventures - look no further!

SM Boyce has created a richly textured, "touchable" & exciting fantasy world. The story captivating, the characters both amazing, edgy & believable.

I am happily entranced by this trilogy, have just bought the second & cannot wait to return! A wonderful series for lovers of fantasy, magic, & adventure!

Not Your Average Fantasy Story!

If I went on a hike and found a whole new world... I would probably hyperventilate, throw up, and basically freak out. Kara Magari has a similar reaction when she actually finds herself trapped in a room with a book that tells her that she can’t go home. Seriously? She does what any normal human being would do-- she tries to make her own destiny. With the help of Braeden, a mysterious man with a horrifying past, Kara comes to terms with her new abilities. And, she learns what it means to be the Vagabond…

The first thing that strikes me while reading Lichgates is that Boyce’s writing style is very detailed. I really enjoy how she describes the woods and that, right from the beginning, I know how Kara thinks. I am quickly introduced to her likes and dislikes, her strengths and her weaknesses. When Kara is first transported into Ourea, she pretty much flips out and breaks down. I really, really like this. If Kara just blindly accepts everything that happens to her, she seems an idiot. If she isn’t scared when her world is completely shaken, then she appears an unbelievable character! The fact that she has flaws and doesn’t try to hide them makes me like her that much more. Kara isn’t perfect, and she does make mistakes throughout the book, but she learns from them and grows as a character.

Braeden is a very interesting character. I mean, just look at his name! It screams unique, original, and special, which he is. But, he’s also so much more. Braeden, like Kara, is a slave to circumstance. Throughout Lichgates I see varying sides of Braeden. Sometimes I want to hug and comfort him, while other times I want to punch him in the face. He is definitely stubborn but, to travel with Kara, he has to be! Braeden has a protective streak that is endearing, and he creates those “awww” moments as I read.

Lichgates captures my attention. Boyce reveals details about Kara’s and Braeden’s lives at different times during the story, so I don’t know everything about them up front. This means that while I’m reading I get to figure out not only this new, unfamiliar, world but also the characters. This keeps me in suspense and full of intrigue. While reading Lichgates, I notice that some of the dialogue seems forced and awkward. This only happens in a few places, and I notice it more when Kara and Braeden are off somewhere alone. They seem to say things in a more awkward way, or speak very differently from how they normally speak. Lichgates is the first book in The Grimoire Trilogy, and though certain things have closure and are accomplished, I feel the book serves more to stage the next books than to present an actual self-contained story. Lichgates is definitely a great read that I highly recommend to fantasy lovers!

The Cover:

When I first see this cover, I am very unimpressed. To begin with, it’s brown. Yes, I’m pointing out the obvious, but it bothers me! It doesn’t catch my eye, and if I were to see it at the library, I probably wouldn’t pick it up. However, after reading Lichgates, I see why this cover was chosen. It is obviously fashioned after the ancient Grimoire and is meant to resemble its cover. So, the cover definitely fits the book; I just didn’t understand this before reading it!

I give Lichgates 4.5 out of 5 stars: Very Highly Recommended!

Superb World-Building in this Awesomely Crafted Fantasy

S.M. Boyce’s Lichgates, the first book in the Grimoire Trilogy, is a lush fantasy, rich in vibrant details, excellent world-building and stellar writing.

Lichgates is a wonderfully crafted and executed first volume in the Grimoire Trilogy. Boyce offers readers an exciting and enthralling mix of fantasy, humor and romance. The fantasy world Boyce has created in Lichgates is inventive, refreshing and captivatingly imaginative.

The story paces nicely throughout the book, and Boyce takes the time to introduce readers to her world and characters without dumping too much information, backstory or plot onto readers at one time. Boyce’s writing is smart, impressive and entertaining; she clearly understands the fantasy genre well. And the author does a fantastic job of balancing fantasy with real life situations, humor with the serious, and action scenes with more personal, intimate and character defining moments.

As I stated above, the world-building in this book is superb. The magical and mysterious world of Ourea simply comes alive through Boyce’s writing. I had no trouble being able to imagine every detail of this world, but the world-building goes beyond just the vivid physical description. Boyce has added very important historical, political and cultural layers to her world of Ourea, and its individual kingdoms, creating a very dimensional, believable and well defined world.

There is a large cast of characters, but the story revolves mostly around a few key characters, all of which are compelling in their own ways. Kara is an easily relatable and likable heroine. She’s smart, brave and capable, but she’s also flawed. Kara is far from perfect- she’s stubborn, speaks without thinking, rash and a bit reckless-but I love that about her because a) it makes her so relatable and b) it gives her a lot of room to grow as a character. And her character does evolve and grow, and naturally so. Braeden is such an intriguing character because there’s a great deal of depth to him and struggle within him, which, again, is a testament to Boyce’s fine writing. He’s definitely a swoon-worthy character, but I liked that my swooning over him didn’t keep me from questioning his motives and loyalty. As a duo, Kara and Braeden make for an enticing and amusing pair; there’s a natural chemistry and spark between these two.

The fantasy elements are truly fantastical, wondrous and an exciting blend of the whimsical and the dark. I was pleasantly surprised with the humor within this book and how much I actually laughed. Kara has a sharp, acerbic wit that comes out at the perfect times and is very amusing. The action is pretty awesome; Boyce certainly knows how to write a thrilling, violent fight scene!

The book wraps up nicely, offering answers and explanations to many of the questions presented in the beginning, while at the same time creating many more. The ending is satisfying, yet will leave readers ready and wanting for more.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed delving into this book and cannot wait to see where Kara’s story goes. S.M. Boyce proves to be a wonderful new voice in fantasy. Lichgates is a grand and captivating first volume in what is sure to be a standout fantasy trilogy.

The start of a great series

Lichgates is a vibrant, imaginative story of a world hidden within our world and accessed via a kind of portal called a Lichgate. Kara Magari is hiking along a hidden trail when she comes upon a Lichgate. She steps through and finds herself in Ourea, a world of mountains covered in deep forests and peppered with caves and massive waterfalls. She falls into a library and discovers the Grimoire, a magical book that has been hidden for 1,000 years. It turns its own pages, answers any question asked of it, and contain the images of a variety of magical creatures which can be called from the book into reality.

When she opens it, she becomes the new Vagabond, the bearer of the Grimoire and is tasked to continue the previous Vagabonds work of bringing peace to Ourea. The trouble is that the four different races all want to control the Vagabond and have access to the Grimoire’s secrets.

She meets Braeden Drakonin, a native of Ourea, and reluctant prince of one of the races. He’s spent his life trying to run from his evil father and hiding the nature of his heritage. He hopes that the Grimoire will free him from his father’s control, so he aims to stay with Kara until he gets a chance to use it. But he ends up becoming her protector and only ally in a dangerous world.

When Kara’s father is killed by an Isen, a soul eater who slipped through the gate into the human world to get to him, Kara has nothing left to tie her to our world and embraces Ourea. Of the four races, only one is anything like humans, and none of them can be trusted. They live in amazing cities, one under the ocean and one built in huge trees. The world the author has built in this story is exceptional.
Kara has to find the four pieces of a map hidden in each of the four kingdoms and follow it to the now deserted village of the Vagabond . His spirit is held in the book and he tries to get her to continue the work he died for, but Kara thinks for herself and plans a different way to bring peace to Ourea.

This is very much the first book in what promises to be an epic. Lichgate establishes the world, the task and the complex nature of the issues involved. As the story evolves so does our understanding of Braeden’s personal challenge, one that echoes that of every child seeking autonomy from their parents, but in this case, the situation is painful and desperate.

The book held my interest and I enjoyed and grew close to all the characters. I particularly loved Flick, the little creature with the huge eyes and fury tail (I’m a sucker for that kind of character), and the characters of each of Kara’s strange animal mounts and the relationship between them was beautifully done.

The book didn’t so much end as just stop, which I didn’t mind because it was a good place to stop and clearly we are just beginning the story. I finished it quite satisfied with the pace of the plot and the balance of action to character and relationship building scenes.

The only issues I had with the book were that although they were well done, the descriptions could have been tightened up quite a bit and made less repetitive, and there were some typos. Nothing that can’t be easily fixed and I hope it will be. I’d like to give it 5 stars, but because of these issues which admittedly may not be noticed by other readers, I’m sticking with four. Anyone who likes high fantasy will enjoy this book, especially if you’re looking for what is clearly going to be a good long ride through a won

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