Review: ...a must-read for people who enjoy reading fantasy.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 30, 2014
Global cooling?  What an interesting thought!  This is especially so, in light of the fact that Earth is presently experiencing the ill-effects of global warming.  Author Nicola Mar does a fantastic job in her fantasy story, A Red Tale, in which she reverses the natural scheme of things:  instead of Earth experiencing global warming, in her story, it experiences global cooling.I was born and bred in the Caribbean, so I know that the tropical islands are known for their extremely warm temperatures throughout the year, verdant hills, and white, black or pink sand beaches (according to which island you happened to be visiting).  So, you can imagine how my curiosity was piqued quite early in the story when Stasia, the main character, sees the snow-covered islands of the West Indies, as the plane she is traveling in flies across the sky.Things are certainly different in this new Earth, so different that Stasia’s dark-complexioned mother is now pale, and instead of people frolicking and having a grand time, they now have to maneuver their way around heaps of snow.  Even the economy is negatively affected by global cooling as the sugarcane plant cannot withstand the extremely cold weather, and indigenous flora and fauna no longer thrive there.  However, one thing is certain; one type of animal seems to be lurking around, and Stasia thinks they’re dragons.  Dragons?  Who will believe her?Author Nicola Mar weaves a fascinating tale of Stasia’s adventures.  There are descriptive scenes that take me to different worlds, both above and beneath the sea. Another thing that makes this story such a fantastic read is the fact that it is told from Stasia’s point of view.  For that reason, it feels as if Stasia and I are one and the same person, engaging in adventure and discovery. So, for instance, when Stasia dreams of Surritz, it seems as if I’m seeing what she sees in her dream, in which plants become animals, and animals become people.A Red Tale is definitely a must-read for people who enjoy reading fantasy.  Congratulations, Ms. Mar for a job well-done!