Review: Time is certainly short.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2012
One minute I'm reading the book, the next I'm scrambling to make sure I downloaded the second novel. Thank God I had. Yvonne Hertzberger has a wonderful talent about her, able to create a world that doesn't need all that much explanation to understand, and a solid plot built around characters rather than something catastrophic like many of the popular dystopian novels lining bookshelves these days. Earth, the Mother, is out of Balance and it's up to a spy with no emotion to save her by saving a maid, Bensa, whose been brutally raped. Playing in the background is the coming-of-age story of Lord Gaelen, whose suddenly found himself ruler of Bargia by the double death of his father and elder brother, and Marja, Lady of the conquered kingdom Catania.Their joining is looked on by some with hope. But for another, it's a different story-one that could spell disaster and death not just for Bargia and Catania, but for the Earth as well.Political intrigue, romance, magic, what more could anyone ask for?I found myself falling in love with each of the characters. Especially Klast and Brensa. Both are so flawed, so perfectly damaged it makes for a beautiful love story that had tears welling.The book zips along wonderfully, making for a quick but satisfying read. I think the only real trouble I had was getting used to the author's writing style. It is much more direct than I'm used too and very formal. However, once I was five chapters in the narration flowed more easily until I had to force myself to put my iPad down to sleep.The author should be proud, and congratulated for a very well written first novel that makes the reader want to do nothing else but pick up the second and get to reading!