Book One: The Sea of Storms
By: Mark Whiteway
Publisher: VCW Publishing
Publish Date: April 2010
Format: Paperback, Trade 6" X 9", 278 pgs
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: 1st book in the Lodestone Series
Recommendation: Yes, young adult fantasy reading with a little science mixed in with it.
Book Synopsis:
Alli-Kar, a white-hole portal from another universe, rains meteoroids onto the surface of the planet Kelanni. But the so-called "lodestones" behave according to different physical laws, transforming Kelanni's society.
With the aid of the fearsome Keltar in their flying cloaks, the Kelanni are being put to forced labor to mine the lodestones.
Shann, an orphan with a fiery disposition, witnesses a battle between a Keltar and a stranger bearing a similar flying cloak. She tracks down the stranger, learning of the technology behind the Keltars' power and joining him on a mission to free the slaves and cut off their supply of lodestones.
Meanwhile Keris, a Keltar, is sent on a mission to track down the rebels. She is attacked by a flying creature and saved by the enigmatic Chandara. At their Great Tree, she learns that a mysterious "Prophet" is out to destroy the Kelanni people. Their only hope is a powerful instrument hidden in the distant past.
Pursued by Keltar, the party will encounter bizarre creatures, ancient technologies and terrifying dangers. Finally, they must seek to cross a massive storm barrier in order to reach the other side of their world, where a world-shaking revelation awaits.
First Sentence:
It was early in the afternoon, when Kal first saw the flying rock.
My Review and Summary:
Hastily aiding a strange man who flew into town and seemed to want to help the people taken as 'tributes' to work in the Prophet's deadly desert, Shann finds she is now in the middle of the dispute between the strange man pretending to be a Keltar and the Keltar taking the people. Shann goes on the run to escape the mean Keltar and his soldiers. Shann finds new friends along the path of a wondrous journey of the past asking for help from the future. With the help of her new friends and lodestones Shann learns a budding strength she didn't realize she had, and how to fly like the Keltar. If all work together; Shann, Lyall, Alondo, and Keltar Keris and her new friend Boxx, the fate of all Kelanni just might be safe in their hands.
In this book Mark, the author, creates a world with three suns, bright colors, and people with tails. With the help of Lodestones and the science behind them there are a select few who are granted permission to us this ability to fly through the air. The world created here is all together new. There are times in the world I wanted a little more description to give a better visual in my mind, but I did enjoy the details given to the lodestone science used by the Keltar.
The story starts right in with the characters meeting, which is a nice start. At times in the beginning I found it to be a little rough but the story quickly picks up and runs. I liked the characters and the way they matched up. You do have your one odd man out, but this is a nice touch to have a character you like, but not completely trust.
The story takes you on a journey with these characters through this new world. The story isn't completely new to the fantasy world but the characters and new world make it a fun and interesting journey. There were a few little surprises I really enjoyed too. Like, you might want to watch Alondo. The ending of the story is a cliffhanger ending. I wanted to keep going and see what happens to the world and characters along with the new world they where going to. But, that will have to be the next book (which is currently out).
This is definitely a book I would recommend to your sprouting fantasy readers. I think they would enjoy the journey and the neat things they do. This is a fun read. The end result of the lodestone science is similar to the results of Brandon Sanderson's metal usage in the Mistborn series. Completely different sciences and rules but close to the same results, in flying that is.
I will definitely be looking for the second book in this series to follow up with the characters.
I received this book from the author for review.
This book qualifies for the YA Reading Challenge hosted by For The Love of YA.
