Title: Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch
Author: Angel Haze & Slade Sewell
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Angel Haze
AISN: B005965A64
Sixteen year old Astanyx and his two best friends return from a hunting trip to find their small village of Polca ravaged by brutal killers that left no one alive. With nothing left the boys set off to warn the King. They do not realize that they are going to be tested in ways they never thought possible and be thrust into a battle that only could be made up. Except it isn’t made up. It’s real.
Debonair, a powerful witch from the Unspoken Lands is on a secret quest and has put together an army of made up of the most violent and blood thirsty killers she could find. With her army she is terrorizing everyone in her path and creating chaos.
Astanyx and his friends (old and new) must find a way to unite the kingdoms and defeat the witch. To do this he must venture farther than he ever thought, seek answers to forbidden questions and find the only weapon powerful enough to save the kingdoms from Debonair’s desire to unleash an ancient evil.
Buckle your seatbelts…
You are about to go for a ride…
This book picks you up and sweeps you along until the every last page is read leaving you completely satisfied and even a little winded. That’s right, winded. Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch is packed full of twists and turns and frankly it’s the best book I have read in a long time.
So what’s it about?
To me, it’s about worlds from long ago when things weren’t as simple as they are now but they were so much more magical. It’s where legend meets history and all creatures come together to create a fantastic world. The descriptions of these places, these lands and villages are so crystal clear in my head it’s as if they really did once exist and they are merely waiting to be discovered again.
I am an avid reader and this is the first tale that I have come across like this. I almost don’t want to make the comparison (even though it isn’t really a comparison) but I can’t help but say what’s on my mind (Hey, you asked). I will admit –and NO I am not kidding, and yes, you may pretend to not know me if you like – I have never read the Harry Potter series, nor have I watched any of the movies…but I do have an idea in my head of what it would be like and this book is what I imagine. Not necessarily the story line (there is no sorcerer named Harry with some friends) but the world and the creatures that live in it. There are elves and dwarfs, gnomes and talking wolves…there are even some dragons.
Astanyx is a great character, my favorite of the story. I love how he is the main character but the story isn’t really about him. It’s about his quest and his journey. He’s a warrior with no training…(okay a little training, but mostly by experience) and his sense of self and right and wrong is unshakable. In the beginning of the story he is a boy, unsure of himself and a little awkward. But he doesn’t stay that way for long. He rises up in the most difficult and impossible situations and emerges from the story as a hero and a leader.
As I said, to me the main character of the story was Astanyx but he was far from the only character to capture my attention. Barrett- a strong, capable warrior who I think kind of earned the mentor role to Astanyx was also a favorite. Then there was Luccia, the princess. But she wasn’t like any other princesses in the stories I have read. She has a strong, level head on her shoulder and is capable with a sword. She was always realistic about the situations they faced but still managed to hold on to the hope in her heart. She was a warm ray of sunshine in the middle of a storm.
The villain of the story is vile and power seeking, arrogant and rude. She is also very powerful which makes any victory over her a triumph.
The plot in this book is executed so well and without any hiccups. There is so much depth to the story and so many things happening but I was never once lost or bored. The story moved along continuously and kept me interested and guessing. The characters came up against many challenges and traveled to many places. I would even daresay that sometimes I was reminded of Indiana Jones. P.S. I really LIKED Indiana Jones.
Which brings me to another point, this book would make an awesome movie. I could see it play out in my head so clearly as I read and the action and battle scenes would be fabulous to watch with some popcorn. And the dragons…they were awesome.
There was even some romance in the book, but it was something in the background, a nice compliment to the evolving story. It was just enough to make me smile. The ending was fantastic, if a little shocking. I do hope that there will be a sequel because I would love to have more of these characters and this world.
The writing was clear, the description was good and the plot was easy to follow even though it had a lot to offer. In all, this book was fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to read and go on adventures. I would even go as far to say that this is probably the best Indie book I have ever read. I frankly, don’t know why you are still reading this review, you should go buy the book and start reading.
So there you have it. My Opinion.
There You Have It! My Opinion!
By Cambria Hebert
Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: HaperCollins 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-199616-0
Format: Hardcover, E-book
Literary Lunes Magazine: December 2011 Issue Page 15