Review: A Young Adult Fantasy
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2014
Though he is a new author breaking not the world of published books, Andrew Lashway has refrained form offering his readers any hint of his background or his philosophy or his reasons for electing to write fantasy novels. So instead of having some insight to his thought processes, a factor that I time he will understand the importance of such information if he is to gather a readership, we must depend on his writing alone. His verbiage suggests he is a British author, but that could simply be an affectation. He has published one prior book - THE SOUL FORGE - and now we have MEREK'S ASCENDANCE.Merek Quinn is a 17-year-old victim of an abusive childhood - his father Harold who suffers from nightmares is a miner and his mother Malkyn is a slovenly housewife. - and Merek is left to tend their farm singlehandedly. Beset by two physically and verbally abusive parents leads to a physical a confrontation, Malkyn is injured and Harold is furious, so Merek escapes to the forest where he becomes integrated with the flora and fauna. He encounters threatening weather, finds solace in a cave co-habited by an injured mother bear and her cubs who Merek nurtures. After the storm Merek sets out on his escape adventure from his loathsome home, encounters a poacher who wants of take the bear cubs to sell for gold, discovers human bodies that appear to have been assaulted by warring people, finds one man among the bodies who is alive who turns out to be the 19 year old Thorald, the crown prince of Wentana. The two bond, share their pasts and Thorald takes Merek to his home, the Castle of Wentana to meet his father, King Tyrigg: the poor abandoned forest survivor Merek is accepted into court, performs deeds that gain him the title of Sir Merek, Knight-errant of Wentana, discovers the conflict between Wentana and the Grevorians and their King (responsible for the conflict that wounded Thorald), meets John, Milly, Julia, Roman and others who accompany him in his ascendancy form pauper to knight. But as he ascends he meets conflicts and threats that challenge his ability to uphold his ascendancy.Lashway's writing is descriptive, a bit plodding at times, and is in need of an editor. But the flavor and atmosphere he creates has the same sort of appeal for Young Adults that the television series GAME OF THRONES has for audiences worldwide. It seems in time and with more polish Andrew Lashway will find his niche audience. If only he would share his background to make us care about him the way he wishes us to care about his created people...Grady Harp, July 14