Review: Debra and David: double the authors, double the greatness!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 10, 2010
Storyline: The Crystal Faade is book two (really, it could actually standalone) in a fantasy series that I can only hope continues until the end of time. Or at least until I can't stands it no mo'!The Crystal Faade picks up the story six months after the first adventures on Otharia and Earth. Dyla has been having increasingly disturbing visions of Sir Blackheart and know that until she goes back to Earth to finish the quest they started, these visions will never go away. The glamour has worn off Otharia for Cat and all she wants to do is to go back home to Earth and start living a normal life - teaching her students and archeology-ing - again.Together Cat, Dyla and Éclair, the very powerful telepath, make the trip back to Earth. After they leave, the conspiracy doesn't seem to stop weaving out of control. Darius must figure out who is trying to kill him and prevent an evil power from taking over Otharia.Grammar/Spelling: I noticed some minor issues with punctuation and grammar. I also noticed an odd twist to an old saying (Perhaps it's due to the differences between Earthlings and Otharians?): "She was a beautiful, headstrong, young woman who seemed to attract men to her like flies to the fire." I have always heard it stated as, "like moths to the flame." This phrasing did nothing to detract from the story at all - just something that I noticed and thought it was worth mentioning.Character Development: The Crystal Faade is fairly well-written and developed. Even though it is book two, the characters were flushed out well enough that it was easy to follow the storyline. Of course, now I must read the FIRST book so that I can get the ENTIRE story. Geez! Thanks guys! Like I don't have ENOUGH books to read! I kid, I kid!Darius is the new lady-loving young Duke of Telkur (Well, he's always loved ladies, so that part isn't new, per se.) and he might have met his match with the beautiful, spit-fire Crystaline. He decides to prove his mettle by saving her from kidnappers. (At least attempting to!)Éclair is the strongest telekinetic that has ever been born in Otharia and, because of that, he is also one of the youngest teachers at the Otharian Institute for Paranormal Studies. His techniques have been ill-received by the older teachers and staff, so his decision to take the trip back to Earth is met with very little resistance on their part.Writing Style: The Crystal Faade is unique because it runs in parallel timelines on Earth and Otharia to keep the action moving along and the reader quite entranced.The trip to Earth should have been an easy, in and out expedition, but of course, it's not. Cat, Dyla and Éclair are being followed and harassed by Blackheart's goons while searching for Merlin's cave; while back on Otharia, we have kidnappings, coercions, secret societies and even a rebellion.Nothing is ever simple, is it?Continuity:  I noticed no issues with continuity.Overall Rating: 4-  I really enjoyed Debra Martin and David Small's fantasy collaboration, The Crystal Faade. I can promise I'll be buying the first one - unless *ahem* for some other reason I get a copy - and will be able to highly review and recommend it as well!The Crystal Faade is a distinctive and exciting journey into the fantasy genre and I can only hope that there are many more great trips to Otharia!The story had some minor adult situations and language, so I would give it a PG-13 rating.