Review: Enjoyable fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 6, 2011
Heirs to the Duchy of Telkur, twins Darius and Dyla, have not only lost their parents but have also seen their names dragged through the mud after their death. Having recently finished their education they are trying to save the Duchy from bankruptcy and deal with their cousin's attempts to seize power. However when they are framed for murder they flee Otharia, heading for previously quarantined Earth. Once there though they may not be able to find their way back.This fantasy novel had a lot of good elements to it. The classic power struggles and plotting transcend genres. There was plenty of tension throughout which kept me reading. I wanted to find out what would become of the Duchess, whether the twins would win the competition, and finally whether they would make it back in time to save Telkur, if they made it back at all.To me the fantasy element came from the setting, on another planet, and the powers the characters have, including telekinesis. That suited me perfectly, as none of it was too far flung which is when I can start to lose interest. I enjoyed the elements of legend that were entwined in the story when the twins fled to Earth with friend Eclair, and thought it was cleverly brought together. I also warmed to the younger characters, particularly Dyla who is a strong young woman, and liked seeing their growth throughout the book.One of the things I particulary appreciated was the excerpts from the Chronicles of Otharia at the start of each chapter, giving details of the rule of the Kingdom and pieces of its history. I found it really helpful as a concise way to set up the background and explain some of the events taking place.On the negative side I felt a bit overwhelmed early on with so many characters introduced so quickly. It took a bit of getting straight in my own mind, particularly as to who was plotting what with whom, but as the book went on it was no longer an issue. There were also a few typos and some of the grammar and turns of phrase employed didn't sound quite right to me. It only interrupted the flow slightly but was still a bit of a distraction. I also found sometimes the things the bad guys said or how they were described came off as cliched or amusing, which took away from the image of the sinister power-hungry plotters.This is the first book in the Rule of Otharia series, and I liked it enough, and found myself with  lingering questions I want answered, to probably go on and read the next book although I won't do so in a great rush.