Wizards, Dragons, Kings, Queens, Mysterious Beasts… What more could you want in a fantasy?  A beautiful tale with unique characters and details, Donita Paul has woven fantasy into an allegorical tale that can be enjoyed by all.  The rich descriptions bring you into a world where an artist’s sculptures keep the balance and an evil beast man wants to tear it all apart.  Many races gather on a quest to discover and overcome.  Can they restore balance and decipher the reasons for all the mysterious disappearances before war breaks out?  Is belief in Wulder, the Creator, enough to sustain them and help them conquer in time?  My only complaint with this book is that I was unaware that it is part of a series.  It is book two in a series that is a companion to another 5 book series.  There were many times that I felt very confused, due to the allusions to other quests and adventures that were included in previous novels.  It took awhile to understand who was who, as there is no introduction.  We just jump right into the story from page one.  This is wonderful and perfect if you’ve already become acquainted with the characters, but difficult for a first time reader.  The appendix in the back is detailed and helpful if you’re lost, though.  I did love many of the characters (especially Lady Peg-I loved her ‘logic’), and the story is well written.  If all her books are written in this same manner, then I could highly recommend this as a fun and imaginative Christian fantasy series.  I would also recommend starting with the first book in the series to get the most benefit.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Waterbrook Press

Content Analysis:

There is no profanity or sexual content at all. 

There is a very evil character whom has no qualms killing.  This character also prefers to eat animals alive and raw which gets a little gross!  Many characters die; one is a bit graphic.  There is war, battles, and skirmishes, but they’re not described in much detail. 

Mature Subject Matter:

As far as mature themes, there is the intensity of war and its consequences.  Also, since this is an allegorical tale, there are a great deal of religious overtones.  The question of religion and God and whether or not to believe could be considered mature for some.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

***