REVIEW:
This is an engaging tale of high fantasy, one that older teens and adults in
particular should enjoy right from the beginning. Much of it is in the same vein
as C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, but a bit higher reading level. At times it is
humorous when Cara tries to communicate using typical teenspeak in a world
that doesn't get all the expressions and slang. But that is only a small element
of this novel. It is brimming with action and adventure, lots of battle scenes,
but also some brilliant scenes filled with the life-altering experiences that Cara
undergoes internally. Themes of light and Living Water weave their way
throughout the tale, as do honor and the Joy of Obedience. This will teach
some lesson painlessly; in fact, if you don't tell them there are any lessons, the
teens won't see them coming! Characters have a great deal of personality,
individual personalities so deep and unique that you'll feel like you really know
them before the story is over. It's not all happily ever after and pie in the sky
either. Cara learns some painful lessons when she is disobedient and
headstrong, but she also finds that death may still be the outcome of dutiful,
joyful service. Victory is sometimes bittersweet.
Seabird is at times an allegory, often encompassing many levels of meaning.
This is a novel full of nuggets of truth scattered through an epic journey.
This is an engaging tale of high fantasy, one that older teens and adults in
particular should enjoy right from the beginning. Much of it is in the same vein
as C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, but a bit higher reading level. At times it is
humorous when Cara tries to communicate using typical teenspeak in a world
that doesn't get all the expressions and slang. But that is only a small element
of this novel. It is brimming with action and adventure, lots of battle scenes,
but also some brilliant scenes filled with the life-altering experiences that Cara
undergoes internally. Themes of light and Living Water weave their way
throughout the tale, as do honor and the Joy of Obedience. This will teach
some lesson painlessly; in fact, if you don't tell them there are any lessons, the
teens won't see them coming! Characters have a great deal of personality,
individual personalities so deep and unique that you'll feel like you really know
them before the story is over. It's not all happily ever after and pie in the sky
either. Cara learns some painful lessons when she is disobedient and
headstrong, but she also finds that death may still be the outcome of dutiful,
joyful service. Victory is sometimes bittersweet.
Seabird is at times an allegory, often encompassing many levels of meaning.
This is a novel full of nuggets of truth scattered through an epic journey.
SUMMARY:
The necklace with the beautiful silver seabird seemed to have an unnatural
pull for Cara. Day after day the 17-year-old gazed at it until she finally gave in
and bought it. At home, when she put it on and held up the mirror to look,
suddenly the room disappeared and she found herself in a beautiful forest full
of impossibly vibrant colors. Where was she and how did she get there? When
some people eventually crossed her path, they called her an “outworlder,”
certain that Alphesis had called her to help them with some great deed that
only she could perform. All Cara wanted to do was get back home. Anyway,
what could she possible do? She was no one special. And who was this Alphesis
they kept talking about? He obviously grabbed the wrong person.
Wrong person or not, the daemagos were already alerted to her presence and
intended to stop her as they spread their evil across this strange world. Every
where that Cara went as she tried to find a way home, she became more
deeply involved in the terrifying events of The First Tumult of Narenta.
The necklace with the beautiful silver seabird seemed to have an unnatural
pull for Cara. Day after day the 17-year-old gazed at it until she finally gave in
and bought it. At home, when she put it on and held up the mirror to look,
suddenly the room disappeared and she found herself in a beautiful forest full
of impossibly vibrant colors. Where was she and how did she get there? When
some people eventually crossed her path, they called her an “outworlder,”
certain that Alphesis had called her to help them with some great deed that
only she could perform. All Cara wanted to do was get back home. Anyway,
what could she possible do? She was no one special. And who was this Alphesis
they kept talking about? He obviously grabbed the wrong person.
Wrong person or not, the daemagos were already alerted to her presence and
intended to stop her as they spread their evil across this strange world. Every
where that Cara went as she tried to find a way home, she became more
deeply involved in the terrifying events of The First Tumult of Narenta.
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| THE GUILD REVIEW RECOMMENDS: |
