Review: Bread of Fools
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2012
Review 4 1/2 out of 5There are eleven keys that control the Incarnation cycle. A new Incarnation cycle will not happen without the Keys. Some of them are missing. The Keys establish Mana, and bring to order Flux, the force in all things, the blood and breath of the Universe and the Arcanon control them - or they did until Tolen refused his seat, and Bruce is caught in the middle.Bruce McBaine is a confused man. He has been trying to wipe out his brother, Tolen, from his mind. But in doing so, is tearing apart his own consciousness. With the help of his girlfriend, Zoey, a mysterious woman he met at a mall and a magi called Maramore, Bruce is trying to make sense of why his family has kept him in the dark about who he is and what he is capable of. However, time is short. Tolen has lunged ahead with a plan to steal the eleven keys, but Bruce isn't ready. Can Bruce, along with his brother and Maramore, stop the Arcanon's plan from succeeding?Duncan McGonall is a newcomer to the literary world, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I was asked to review his book. As I began reading it, I was a bit confused as to the premise of the story. The short description didn't adequately explain what was in store for the reader. It wasn't until I read the full description that I had an inkling as to where the story was headed. I have expanded the description in this review to give assistance to those who, like me, get confused. This confusion is the reason why I gave a 4 1/2 out of 5.That being said, I began to enjoy the story I was reading. The conflicting emotions and unanswered questions that Bruce had, kept me glued to the pages. The scenes were well written and the action intense. The fight scene with the dragon-like Gragona, Liima, stands out. There were also some scenes that had me grinning.Bruce is not all he seems either. He's a magi, but has had a spell placed on him, so he doesn't remember.The other characters are just as enigmatic and are difficult to pin down. They each seem to have their own agenda.This story spans dimensions, and the bridge between the two worlds (Firma where humans live, and Supra where Gragona live) is called Nethertwain. There are eleven keys which control the Incarnation cycle and some of them are missing, which is throwing the mana out of balance between the two worlds.By the end of the book, I was totally hooked. I am now looking forward to reading the rest of the story, and hope Duncan is slaving over his computer as I type this review.