Review: Captivating, colorful and action-packed
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2014
Gardiner presented us with likable and noble characters. Darla is one tough cookie, fearless and brave she has had to overcome and fight for the simplest of necessities. I immediately liked her and as Gardiner peeled back her layers I was even more impressed. Rud, is the younger brother of Oberon the new ruler and, like most younger brothers living in his brother’s shadow. His intentions however misguided are good. Rud is a strong solider, smart, but young, and we see growth in him throughout. Oberon as the oldest has been handed the prophecies and is visited upon by these spirit guides. He holds the weight of the world and its people on his shoulders. His love of family and the people made him swoon-worthy. Vestro is the evil dictator who Oberon and his men have overthrown. He and his mutant army have secured themselves in the Nevermore. (Wilds) An obsessed addict the man made me cringe. Secondary characters added to the tale, including a few genetically altered mutants. I became quite fond of one in particular. He reminded me of Dobby from Harry Potter.Gift of Prophecy was an engaging tale and I found the world to be both simplistic and complex. Gardiner did a wonderful job of bringing the world to life from the Boneyards to the Nevermore. Her descriptions of the mutated soldiers gave me shivers. There is a romantic thread and between moments of battle we see it develop. It was not insta-love, but fated. The banter between them was fun, and I enjoyed watching it unfold. The prophecy was interesting, and watching Darla come into herself and accept her gifts was enjoyable. The pacing was well done and grew in intensity as the tale progressed. There were a few details that I wanted more information about but Gift of Prophecy wrapped up nicely. Gardiner answered questions and gave us a satisfactory conclusion. Fans of dystopian and post-apocalyptic tales will find Gift of Prophecy refreshing with strong characters.  Copy received from author for unbiased review that originally published at caffeinated book reviewer