Review: Magic, dragons, swords and portals....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 13, 2011
Gatehouse: The Door to Canellin follows the story of modern-day boy, Wes, who stumbles across a mysterious house in the woods behind his grandparents house. The "gatehouse" is home of doorways which lead to various worlds and universes. Wes finds himself pushed into one such doorway by the mystical dwarf-like figure, Pomander, who tells Wes he needs to slay an evil dragon to return to his world.What follows is an entertaining and well-written story as Wes first comes to terms with the medieval environment of the `Collegium' where he finds himself, as well as the knowledge that he is capable of magic. I won't go into detail and spoil the story, but what follows is a quest undertaken by Wes and an old soldier, Gideon, who aids him in escaping the collegium to begin the quest. unknown to Wes, his father Ryan also enters the portal to Canellin, searching for him. Finding Wes had left weeks earlier, the result of time distortion between worlds, Ryan gathers his own companions and sets off after Wes.The two story lines offer an entertaining perspective to the story, giving the reader the chance to relate to multiple characters. It also explores the father/son relationship between Ryan and Wes, giving it a modern twist in a medieval realm. Jones' narrative voice is excellent as he draws the reader into the world of Canellin, with very few typo's or grammatical errors, no more than you would find in most mass-published books. I couldn't fault it, and although the sudden power the two earthlings learn rapidly seems a bit too convenient, it was explained well and did not leave me feeling too ripped off. Perhaps a little more description here and there wouldn't have gone astray in terms of setting up a likeable world and people, as I didn't really feel a connection with the plight of the common man.With a second book in the works, I look forward to returning to the Gatehouse.~Robert Day[...]