Review: Simply Fantastic!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 27, 2013
The Raie'Chaelia trilogy is one of the best fantasies I've read in a long time.  It has all the qualities of good fantasy, plus a touch of something else that adds to the enjoyment of the story.  This, I won't mention as I don't want to spoil it, but let's just say it was a shocker for me when I realized what I was reading in book two.  I almost got goosebumps.The story is set in a world of magic and fantastical creatures such as Naezzi and Chinuks.  The heroine of the story, Chalice, is tossed into an unfamiliar life in which she has to find her way under an enormous amount of pressure both from the outside and within her own circle.  Chalice is one of the strongest, toughest, no-nonsense female characters I've ever seen.  Her friendship and eventual romance with the hero, Jeremiah, flowed so smoothly, they seemed like real people.  In fact, the descriptions of the settings in the book together with the very real personalities of the characters, made me feel like I was right there in the story with them.  Like they were friends.The first book,The Raie'Chaelia, sets up the world, the story, and the characters.  The second book,The Firelight of Maalda (Legend of the Raie'Chaelia, Book Two), is filled with action and takes you on a sea journey to a dark island where dark things happen.  There are also two short prequels:The Journey Begins (Legend of the Raie'Chaelia, a Prequel)tells the heroine's story before the beginning of the first book andThe Vanishing (Legend of the Raie'Chaelia, a Prequel)tells the hero's.  I recommend reading them both to whet your appetite before beginning the first novel.If you like fantasy and like to read books from authors like Tolkien and Jordan, but would like a touch of something new, read the Raie'Chaelia trilogy.  It is simply fantastic.  I've finished all four titles by this author and am impatiently waiting for the final book!