Review: Entrancing
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 22, 2014
This is one of the better independent author fantasy books that I've read.  All the characters but one are believable (and he's a side character).  Although it is clear who the reader should root for, it is not always a simple battle of good against evil, there are shades of gray.  I found myself drawn into the story.  In addition, although there is a lot of killing, the story is by no means dark fantasy.  Also, I was never sure that the author would keep the characters I liked alive through the end of the book (a good thing).Also, although it is listed as "Teen/Young Adult," I'm an adult and didn't find the book juvenile.  Thankfully the author uses adult vocabulary and words that are at least high school if not college level (i.e. in the first few pages "sorrel" to describe a horse and "swarthy" to describe skin tone).  Perhaps the fact that it is a coming of age story makes is what lead it to be in that category, but if that is the type of story you want, this book fits the bill.Same goes for romance.  Although there is a love interest in the book, there is no nudity and certainly no bodice ripping.  It is tactful and tasteful.  I wouldn't categorize this story as a romance any more than I'd put any story that has a love interest as a romance... which includes nearly every work of fiction.I offer these comments to help the author improve his (her?) writing and not to demean the book.  There are minor typos ("ward rum" instead of "war drum," etc.), but these  did not affect my enjoyment of the story.  There were a few trite sentences and a few lines of inane dialogue (usually by Mecklem).  I also thought the book was a little short for the price point, but I do not regret my purchase and look forward to a sequel.Overall I would highly recommend the book.