Guest Post: M.K. Hutchins + Drift

Today I'm pleased to welcome author M.K. Hutchins to the blog to talk a little bit about her upcoming young adult fantasy release, Drift. I'm a huge fan of all types of mythology, especially lesser-known types I'm not as familiar with, so I was super excited when M.K. submitted her guest post on Maya mythology and how it inspired the world of Drift. Take it away M.K!

Often the first thing I hear from anyone about my book is “cool giant turtle!” Thanks, Sammy Yuen, for creating such a striking cover.

The environment of Drift was inspired by Maya mythology – three elements in particular.

The World Turtle: A number of mythologies viewed the world as being on the back of a turtle. This visual is striking to me. The domed back of a swimming turtle looks like an island in miniature, with all the ridges and cracks in the shell becoming mountains and ravines.

Watery Underworld: The ancient Maya viewed both standing water and caves as portals to the underworld. The dichotomy of water as being both life-giving and dangerous fascinates me. When I heard a professor describe the world as a turtle surrounded by a watery hell, I knew I wanted to write a story using that setting. Natural bodies of water are often hard to see through. Something dangerous could always be lurking, just out of sight, below the surface.

World Tree: Many mythologies have some kind of world tree. Thanks to recent popular movies, many people are probably familiar with Yggdrasil, the Norse version. The Maya tree was different, of course, but it, too, connected the lowest part of hell to the highest reaches of the heavens.

From these, I began creating a world of many drifting turtle-island, surrounded by dangerous waters – Nearhell – and connected through the long roots of the tree to an inky, strange place – Deephell. Those who lived in the Tree could travel to Deephell and rob its treasures for strange gifts that would help protect the island. This in place, I could begin to brainstorm my main character – a young man who lived in poverty on the shores of hell, determined to join the warriors who lived in the Tree to pull himself and his sister from poverty.

• • • • • • • • • • • 

DRIFT

Tenjat lives on the shores of Hell, an ocean filled with ravenous naga monsters. His island, a massive Turtle, is slowed by the people living on its back. Only those poor enough to need children to support themselves in old age condescend to the shame of marriage. Tenjat is poor as poor gets, but he has a plan.

In the center of the island rises a giant Tree, where the Handlers—those who defend and rule the island—live. Against his sister’s wishes, Tenjat joins the Handlers. He couldn’t have picked a more dangerous time. The Turtle is nearing a coral reef where it desperately needs to feed, but the naga will swarm just before they reach it. Even novices like Tenjat are needed for the battle.

Can Tenjat discover his sister’s secrets in time? Will the possibility of love derail all his plans for a richer, marriage-free life? Long-held secrets will at last be revealed in this breathtaking debut from M. K. Hutchins.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • 

M.K. HUTCHINS

My debut novel, Drift, is forthcoming from Tu Books and my short fiction appears in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show and Daily Science Fiction.  I studied archaeology at BYU, which gave me the opportunity to compile histories from Maya glyphs, excavate in Belize, and work as a faunal analyst. 

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Review: The Falconer

THE FALCONER
The Falconer #1
Elizabeth May
Young Adult/Fantasy
336 pages
Chronicle Books
Available May 6th
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844

Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.

Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.

But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?

MY THOUGHTS
The Falconer is a stunning beginning to this trilogy, introducing us to an unforgettable cast of characters who impress with their charm and wit as well as captivate with the seeming endlessness of their mysteries. The fae in Aileana's world are the stuff of nightmares, beasts and monsters of legend brought to spectacular life by Ms. May to both horrify and fascinate readers in turn with their dark mythology. We find ourselves mesmerized from page one, brief but haunting glimpses of the gruesome death of Alieana's mother interspersed with heart-pumping physical battles as our young heroine feeds her vengeance with the blood of those responsible. Though there is a heaviness to the story and the weight of Aileana's grief is a palpable thing, Ms. May infuses this tale of pain and loss with beautifully surprising humor, shocking a laugh out of us on more than one occasion and ensuring we always something positive to cling to when the gravity of what Aileana faces begins to set in.

Aileana, or Kam as the ever-enigmatic fae Kiaran calls her, is a heroine who quickly earns herself a spot at the top of our list of memorable and stand-out young women in fiction, proving herself to be a delight at every turn thanks to an enviable combination of traits. She's not only a skilled fighter, battling and beating monstrous fae who dwarf her in size and strength, but she's also in possession of a enormously entertaining dry wit and a level head that practically makes us giddy. She knows Kiaran is so much more than he appears to be, yet instead of constantly badgering him or deliberately doing the opposite of what he asks out of spite (with the exception of battling fae on her own, but that's an easily forgivable infraction in the context of the story) to provoke a reaction from him, she simply bides her time and asks well-timed questions sparingly. As much as we want to trust in Kiaran, we can't help but respect Aileana's ability to compartmentalize the various facets of his character, lowering her guard in some areas to let him in while remaining ever-mindful of exactly what he is so she's never devastated when some of the secrets he's been withholding come to light.

The Falconer is an achingly romantic story, but in its pages we actually find very little romance, instead the relationship between Aileana and Kiaran exists almost solely in the realm of possibility. The moments between them thrum with tension and awareness one second before we blink and the moment passes, leaving us wondering if we're simply projecting what we desperately want onto the two of them in order to make something from nothing. Kiaran is largely cold and unfeeling–and completely unapologetic for being so–but every once in a while we get the barest glimpse of something more, and that tiny kernel of promise sparks a flame of hope and desire in us greater than any kiss or physical expression of attraction ever could. He is a wild card, an unpredictable and ancient fae whose secrets we don't even begin to uncover in this first installment, and the fact that he appears utterly unattainable throughout only serves to increase his appeal tenfold.

A review of this book would absolutely not be complete without the mention of Derrick, a hilariously lovable pixie who lives in Aileana's dressing room and likes to imbibe on honey, something that results in his telling all those around him the truth about his feelings for them. He's absurd in the best possible way, making us laugh out loud just when we need it most, and he proves to be both friend and unwaveringly loyal companion to Aileana to the bitter end. We're left with what simply cannot be called anything but a cliffhanger, a parting statement brutally slapping us in the face and leaving an unexpected sting in its wake as we try to make sense of it, hoping against hope that what's implied will prove to be false in future books. Despite being evicted at the singularly most intense moment of the story, The Falconer is both gorgeously dark and surprisingly light, making our hearts beat double-time thanks to numerous battle scenes and the powerful but subtle relationship between Aileana and Kiaran, and the wait for book two will be nothing short of painful.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Elizabeth:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Stolen Songbird

STOLEN SONGBIRD
The Malediction Trilogy #1
Danielle L. Jensen
Young Adult/Fantasy
436 pages
Strange Chemistry
Available April 1st
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

MY THOUGHTS

Stolen Songbird is everything we could hope for in a fantasy story, a richly complex world enhanced by the beautifully layered characters who inhabit it to ensure we’re captivated from first page to last. The dark and cavernous environment of Trollus is not as sprawling as some fantasy worlds, its more self-contained nature allowing us to wrap our minds around its layout with far more ease than is sometimes the case with fantasy novels. We’re also given enough history as to the how’s of the trolls’ curse so that the legs we’re standing on in this world feel solid beneath us, but the why’s are left a bit more up in the air, piquing our curiosity as our hearts and imaginations are taken on an unforgettable ride.

Cecile is an absolute delight, a fairly ordinary young woman in terms of physical strength who finds herself at the mercy of a group far stronger than she is, but yet she fights tooth and nail for her freedom in a way we can imagine ourselves doing were we taken against our wills. She’s easy to relate to from the onset, and while we admire the way she doesn’t simply roll over and expose her vulnerable belly to the more powerful trolls, where she impresses us most is the way in which she fights, knowing when to push and when to sit back, observe, and sort through information about her captors as it comes to her. She doesn’t give up on escape, but neither does she have tunnel vision with regard to it, letting herself get to know the trolls she’s surrounded by and opening herself up–albeit warily–to Tristan rather than holding her circumstances against him every moment of every day.

The romance is as stunning as the rest of the story, starting out largely antagonistic thanks to the kidnapping and the enormous secrets about where Tristan’s loyalties lie, but thanks to time and a bond that allows them to feel each other’s emotions, the two of them build something warm, beautiful, and so memorable as to guarantee they land themselves on our list of top fictional couples. The fact that they can sense what the other is feeling is a fascinating aspect, the assumption upon hearing such a thing being that it would allow them to fall in love faster, with the bond acting as a window to the other’s heart and soul they wouldn’t have had access to otherwise. What we find, however, is that the bond muddies their waters in the most striking way, forcing both them and us to look deeper at every emotion for not only what they’re feeling, but also the root cause of it. The result is a relationship that’s simultaneously strong and fragile, the two of them partners in every sense of the word but yet we feel how tenuous each emotion flowing between them is, understanding that the slightest tug will snap those threads free and leave both of them reeling.

Another aspect that makes the romance one we’re fully invested in is Cecile’s honesty despite the situation she’s found herself in, willing to display her trust in Tristan in order to win his in return. While Tristan is not as forthcoming with his secrets as Cecile is with hers, he’s at least honest about the fact that he’s keeping things from her, allowing her to know his dark corners exist without fully shining light upon them. The two of them together are a joy to read about, and though we might wish for a little bit more information in a couple areas (namely Tristan’s destructive brother Roland), overall this first installment is mesmerizing on a variety of levels. We’re left with hearts bruised but not broken, the strength of Cecile’s will, her ability to adapt to any situation, and her shining love for Tristan all giving us hope that book two will return to us what the end of this first book takes away.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Find Danielle:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Defy

DEFY
Defy #1
Sara B. Larson
Young Adult/Fantasy
336 pages
Scholastic
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

MY THOUGHTS
Defy is an exquisitely character-driven fantasy debut from Ms. Larson, one that gives us a brief explanation for how the kingdom of Antion came to be at war in order to satisfy our curiosity before delving us deep into the life of young Alexa, a heroine who steals our hearts from the moment she appears on page. This is not a fantasy world with a breadth and scope that both dazzles and overwhelms, instead we're treated to a story set on a much smaller scale, drawn in through small intimacies and nuances in Alexa, Prince Damien and the remainder of his guard, so thoroughly invested in their lives we find ourselves hesitating to pick up another book upon finishing this one because we simply can't bring ourselves to let them go just yet.

Alexa is nothing short of extraordinary on every level, a young woman who's fought and won a spot on the prince's guard, her skill with both bow and sword outmatching all those around her. We're forced to endure a rather brutal series of opening chapters, details of just how horrifying life for a young woman under the rule of King Hector is setting us on edge now that we know what awaits Alexa should her secret ever come to light. Though she's a fighter through and through, Ms. Larson imbues her with just enough vulnerability to keep her from being fully defined by the steel she so effortlessly wields, letting us bear witness to her quiet moments when grief and fear exploit cracks in her nearly impenetrable defenses and show us what she can't afford to let anyone else see.

While the synopsis prepares us for a love triangle–one that seems as though it could be prominent enough to be off-putting to those of us who are so tired of this particular romantic shape–Defy proves itself to be one of the rare occasions where the love triangle setup works beautifully, Ms. Larson showing she's as skilled with a blade as her young Alexa, slowly carving up our hearts as the relationships between Alexa, Rylan and Prince Damien unfold. Alexa is not the type of girl who's cavalier about love, prone to waffling or playing games, instead she's forthright with both young men at every turn, fully aware of what's on the line for all three of them given the emotions involved. She has moments of utter confusion since romance has always been something far beyond the scope of her day to day life thanks to the pretense she must uphold for survival, but she's one who thinks before she acts and who makes her preference known to the other party with nothing short of a heavy heart.

The boys, for their part, are equally honest in their feelings; feelings that are more than believable given the three of them have known one another for years. This is not a case of two new guys entering a young woman's life and finding themselves opposing forces in a battle for love, rather it's a raw and painful revelation brought about by an unforeseen change in circumstances. The individual relationships Alexa has with both Rylan and Damien are equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking, their story one that's only enriched by the three points of this particular triangle rather than hindered by them, our cheeks decorated with the tracks of tears shed as battles–emotional and physical–are fought bravely and won, though they are done so with the steepest of costs.

Defy is a breathtaking start to this series, Alexa's journey dark but also undeniably hopeful, and I can only cross my fingers that this next year breaks records with the speed at which it passes by so I can get my grabby hands on the sequel all the quicker.

Rating: 4.5/5
 

Find Sara:

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I was lucky enough to get the chance to interview Sara yesterday on the blog, so if you didn't get a chance yet, be sure and check it out!

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Interview: Sara Larson + Defy

Today I'm hugely excited to welcome author Sara B. Larson to the blog to answer a few questions about her young adult fantasy debut, Defy (released yesterday from Scholastic). Defy was a book I picked up not knowing much about it, and I found myself madly in love after pretty much the first chapter. As soon as I finished, I sprinted to the computer and sent a dubiously coherent fangirl email to Sara requesting an interview, and she oh-so graciously waded through my ramblings and agreed. I'll be posting my full review on the blog tomorrow!

It’s your first day of training with Alexa and the rest of the guard. How many bruises would you estimate you’ll be sporting tomorrow? Will there be more or less than are decorating the bodies of your opponents? 

Oh man, if I had to spar against Alexa, she’d totally kick my trash. I mean, I work out and I do kick boxing, so I think I could hold my own in a fight. But we’re talking about sword fighting with Alexa. Yeah, I’d be a mess of bruises the next day. But I’m stubborn, so I’d keep practicing in hopes that I could try to hold my own against her eventually.

If you found yourself in Alexa’s shoes, having to maintain the guise of being male, what do you think you would have to work hardest at to keep from giving yourself away? 

Hmmm, that’s a very interesting question! Well, for one, if someone were to scare me in the dark (did I mention I’m afraid of the dark?), I tend to scream and either drop to the ground, or lash out. Pretty sure that would give me away in a hurry since Antion can be a very scary place, especially at night.

What was the very first piece of Defy to pop into your head? Do you remember where you were when it came to you? 

I do, it actually came from a very difficult period in my life, when someone I loved had just passed away from cancer. He was just 24. I was so upset by his loss that I couldn’t write anything. But a friend of mine told me to stop trying to write a book and just write was I was feeling. So that’s what I did, and what I wrote was the very first scene of what later became DEFY. (Hint: it is not the first chronological scene in the book.) From there, the story took on its own life, though. It became a story of survival, a story of what true courage and strength is, and a story about love and hope (even in the most desperate of situations) and risking everything for the chance of a better future.

If you suddenly woke up tomorrow in Antion, which modern amenity would you miss most? What aspect of this fantasy world would make life without that amenity worth it? 

Oh boy, that’s a tough one! I do love my modern conveniences. Probably my computer, because I can’t keep up with my thoughts otherwise. I’d have claw fingers all the time from hand cramps if I had to write all my stories on parchment with a quill and ink. When I try to use pen and paper, I write as hard and furious as I can, but I just can’t do it. But Damian and Rylan would DEFINITELY make up for it. Oh, wait. I’m happily married (do I get to take my husband with me?), and there’s Alexa to compete with…so, uh, let’s go with the sorcery. If I could be a sorcerer, I’d totally be willing to give up my computer.

Alexa and her brother Marcel are extraordinarily close. What’s one small thing about her that makes Marcel proud to call himself her brother? 

Though he gives her a hard time about it, he admires her stubbornness. Once she has a goal, nothing can stop her, and that not only makes him proud—it’s saved her life more than once.

What tip or trick would Alexa give to anyone like her who needed to hide in plain sight? 

If you act like you know what you’re doing, everyone goes along with it. People only question something if you act like there’s something to question.

Alexa is proficient with a variety of weapons and is the best fighter on the prince’s guard. If she were to face a character from another young adult novel in a battle for position on the guard, who do you think might give her a good run for her money? 

I think Katsa from Graceling would definitely be an amazing match-up in a fight. Can you imagine? *stares off into space imagining the epicness of that battle*

It’s fair to say that both Rylan and Damian see something special in Alexa. What one word might each of them use to best describe her? 

Oooh, that’s tricky, making me limit it to one word, since she’s a very complex person. Hmmm….Rylan might describe her as fierce and I could imagine Damian describing her as indomitable.

*Jenny leaves to go Google "indomitable"* ;-)

• • • • • • • • • • •

DEFY

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • 

SARA B. LARSON

I love writing, reading, and dessert--but the order varies by the day. I wrote my first book in second grade about a woman who had a premature baby, complete with a "to scale" drawing of the baby's size--while my mom was pregnant. To say I was a bit precocious is putting it lightly. Now that I'm an adult, I write books for teens that have magic and romance and kick-butt girls (and very few premature babies). I live in Utah with my husband, two young sons and baby girl. I write during naptime and the hours when most people are sleeping. My  husband claims I should have a degree in "the art of multitasking." On occasion you will find me hiding in a bubble bath with a book and some Swedish Fish. I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary and my YA debut DEFY is coming January '14 from Scholastic!

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Guest Post: Kelley Lynn + Fraction of Stone

Today I'm handing the blog over to author Kelley Lynn to give you a few insider details about her YA fantasy debut novel, Fraction of Stone, which just released yesterday. Happy Belated Book Birthday Kelley, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Hello there!

Thanks so much to Jenny here at Supernatural Snark for allowing me a day to crash at her place. It’s kinda like a sleepover! Though her place won’t be a mess when I leave…haha

My name is Kelley Lynn. My debut novel, FRACTION OF STONE, was released by Sapphire Star Publishing on March 21st, 2013. I’m all sorts of excited. I keep waiting for the nerves to creep up but, well, I figure if people like it, awesome! If they don’t, but they give constructive feedback as to why (or maybe it just wasn’t there thing), that’s awesome too. The words on the page are meant to be shared so let’s share em’!

Jenny said that you fabulous Supernatural Snark readers enjoy a ‘peek behind the curtain’. A little VIP treatment, if you would. You guys are smart! That’s how it should be for everything. So here’s a little insight into one of my main characters, which really isn’t a character at all.

My mother has always been fascinated (can I say, slightly obsessed) with weather. I will attempt to show you this with a story.

Growing up, our house had been struck by lightening three times. Yes, three. So lightening does strike the same place more than once, FYI. We had a video camera and before our house was struck for the third time my mother was standing on our porch video the coming storm. It did look beautiful. The rumbling of the thunder and the flashes of light against the dark clouds. So powerful. So alive.

The film cuts out and the next clip you see is my mother videotaping the siding from our house which is strewn all over our yard because, yes, the lightening struck the side of the house and put a hole in our garage.

Cut to my novel, FRACTION OF STONE. Before I started writing it I asked my mother what she would like to see in a book (if she read, which she doesn’t… so maybe she wasn’t the best person to ask but, mom’s know everything, right?) She said she’d love to read about weather. (Big surprise there.) But I ran with it.

In FRACTION OF STONE, there’s a guy and there’s a girl and perhaps their biggest obstacle in the story isn’t a person at all (though there are many who try to hurt them). Their biggest worry is the world, which is falling apart. Earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, the works. I think it’s something unique to FRACTION OF STONE which isn’t seen often in books. I hope I do these scenes justice. Show the vast power the world possesses, even in the process of dying. And how no matter what humanity does, they can’t possibly fight this foe.

In case you’re interested in checking out my novel, below is a bit about it. Thanks again to Supernatural Snark for having me! If anyone has any questions, or would like to share your weather woes, I’d love to hear them. Feel free to discuss in the comments. I’ll be around :-)

• • • • • • • • • •

FRACTION OF STONE

Wind tunnels, torrential rains and earthquakes tear apart Casden. The cause of the world’s imbalance is unknown, but the mounting occurrences suggest there’s little time before life ceases to exist.

Rydan Gale and Akara Nazreth are the only humans with the ability to wield magic. The tattoo on their necks and the discovery of an ancient book, dictate they are the key to the world’s survival.

But the greatest obstacle for saving mankind isn’t the bizarre creatures, extreme betrayals and magic-fearing men hunting them.

It’s that Akara doesn’t believe the world is worth saving

• • • • • • • • • •

KELLEY LYNN

Eventually the day came when the voices in Kelley Lynn’s head were more insistent then her engineering professor’s. So instead of turning to her Thermodynamics book, Kelley brought up a blank page on her computer screen and wrote. Somewhere along the way she became a Young Adult author.

Kelley was born and raised a Midwestern girl. She’s not afraid to sweat and fills her free time with softball, soccer and volleyball. (Though you probably don’t want her on your volleyball team.) She occasionally makes guest appearances as a female vocalist for area bands.

You can find Kelley hanging out at her blog, titled in her name, as well as the group blog she shares with her fellow critique partners, Falling for Fiction. Kelley is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.

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Review: The Vyne

THE VYNE: MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN EMBER
Daniel Walls
Young Adult Fantasy
388 pages
Two Harbors Press
Available Now
Received via Teen Book Scene
for Review

THE STORY
Asher Meadows has spent the whole of his young life in one little town. Fearful and resentful of the special gifts he possesses, he dreams of leaving his lush of a father behind and finding a place to belong no matter how unlikely that dream seems.

Fate has other plans for Asher though, and as soon as young, amnesiac Scar shows up, irreversible events are set in motion that reveal Ash to be a vital part of an ancient prophecy regarding the fate of the world. As a vicious enemy begins to execute his plan for the transformation of all humanity into a drone army, Ash and company set off in search of the Hidden Ember, the first piece of the prophecy's puzzle.

En route, they run into both friend and foe, and Ash struggles with his feelings for Scar as she's a wanted fugitive and a potential thief who no one trusts save him alone. Though unsure he's ready for his destiny, Ash fights for Scar and his friends, and discovers that understanding his abilities comes a very high cost.

MY THOUGHTS
The Vyne is a story for those who love a journey, where each page is another step forward along a path lined with mystical abilities, ancient prophecies, and bizarre creatures with constantly shifting allegiances depending on the price for their support. It's not a quick or light read, and we are weighed down, as we so often are with fantasy novels, with an intimidating amount of information and a large cast of characters all vying for our attention. The beginning is tedious and slow, and as with a physical puzzle, Mr. Walls starts his literary puzzle in the corners, building the foundation of the story and assembling the borders that will be our guides as we work inward piece by piece until everything aligns and the larger picture is finally revealed. In this case, however, we are not dealing with either a one hundred or even five hundred piece puzzle, but rather we find ourselves attempting one with thousands of pieces, our patience tested as we struggle to figure out how everything fits together, and we often need to step back to regain focus and shore up our resolve before continuing onward.

Once the beginning third of the story is behind us, the journey begins to pick up speed as Ash and his companions finally set forth on the mission that has been so meticulously outlined for us in the previous one hundred and fifty pages. Mr. Walls's world is incredibly imaginative and deeply complex, appealing to that part of us that craves the challenge of embracing and understanding the unfamiliar while keeping the wheels in our minds constantly in motion as we try to solve the various riddles surrounding Ash's curse and the destiny hidden from him for so long.

Though the story does begin to accelerate and we are transported from one fantastical location to the next, the relationship we form with the characters is lacking in intensity. Reluctant hero Ash often shows the immaturity that accompanies his young age, whining about a destiny he wants no part of and inexplicably pining for a girl who possesses few attractive traits. His affection for Scar is instant, and for how thoroughly all the other elements are explained–at times so much so as to be detrimental to the overall story–we are given no solid reason for her appeal other than she's someone new in a town so familiar to him. Additionally, several characters with whom we are relatively acquainted are killed with little fanfare, their sacrifices glossed over quickly as the entourage of Ash and his misfits moves ever closer to their destination. This story is one where the flesh and bone are thoroughly established, but the heart is regrettably missing, a noticeable vacancy for those of us who thrive on our emotional connection to the story and live for the individuals that make our hearts beat faster as they carry the intangible weight of our feelings with them every step they take.

The Vyne will surely appeal to lovers of fantasy who expect and appreciate a taxing and arduous voyage, and who revel in the sense of accomplishment of seeing the journey through to the very end. For those like myself who love a good adventure but not necessarily at the expense of those characters who are undertaking it, this story will be a bit of a challenge to muddle through. Mr. Walls is a talented writer and storyteller, but his strength appears to lie more in the creating of the world and the outlining of a prophecy than in the forging of delicate bonds between character and reader which, for me, are the most vital part of an engaging reading experience.

Rating: 3/5