Review: One of the most "Enchanting" Fantasies to Come Along
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 11, 2013
Enchantment's ReachBy Martin AshArene plans to kill a `vileborn' toddler as the child's guardian nods off in sleep. Arene does not enjoy her murderous task and second guesses herself. Her actions are halted by a young man crashing through the woods -- almost as if he knows her plans. Shenwolf is searching for the Great Castle Orbia, at Enchantment's Reach, or so he says as nothing is what it seems in this strange land. Before leaving, he places an unusual leather thong, holding a small object within, and puts it around the child's neck. Arene knows she must yet try again to quell the evil of the vileborn.Not all is Edenic in Enchantment, as factions attempt to overthrow the monarchy. Karai soldiers grow closer and King Leth is building his army to confront them. His dying mother, Fallorn, passes on special knowledge to her would be King -- secrets passed on from one monarch to the next -- to be opened alone. When opened, the small casket explodes pale lacy blue light, scaring the King with temporary blindness. The creature that approaches him makes the light seem harmless in comparison. It is the Orb, whose name is Orbelon. He tells Leth that he can destroy the Orb but warns that if he does, he better know first the full contents of the casket.Queen Issul, worried about her husband, visits the mage, Pader Luminis, a Murinean, part of those who populated Enchantment before humans came. He teaches the Queen much about her strange world, full of extremes, bordering upon worlds where wonders often dance with danger and nothing stays the same. Issul consults Pader about the "Legendary Child" and the possible destruction of her beloved land.Author Martin Ash writes a fantasy intricate and compelling, much like Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings' and "The Hobbit'. His writing flows with imagery, pulling the reader into the story; creating an exceptionally good read. Will the 'Orb's Soul', a lost artifact, be enough to cease the warring, further interfered with by the gods? And what of the little boy, Moscul? Is he the sweet child he appears to be, or something other? And what can he possibly know of the evil 'Vileborn' destined to destroy Enchantment's Reach?This is a difficult book to put down, but upon reaching the fast-paced incredible climax, readers can enjoy the next book in the series, Enchantment's Reach 2: The Orb and the Spectre.Micki Peluso: writer, journalist, and author of . . . And the Whippoorwill Sang