Review: High Fantasy Set to Magic Music!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 21, 2011
The Treasures of Carmelidrium by N.R. Williams is an action-packed fantasy adventure. Gil-Lael, the world Ms. Williams has created, teems with princes, elves, unicorns and a nasty horde of beasts called symberveen. When gifted flutist Michelle (Missy) Kersten crashes her Jeep Wrangler through a portal to this alien world, she doesn't realize what's happened at first. The landscape resembles her native Colorado, and even though the handsome man who greets her wears a costume straight out of the Middle Ages, well, surely there must be a logical explanation. Maybe he and his companions are making a movie. Only there are no cameras or any other modern equipment in sight. All she sees are men who look at her as if she's some strange being from another world. Which, of course, she is.Within a short time Missy meets a unicorn with magical powers and a band of loathsome, bear-like creatures who attempt to kidnap her. She learns these symberveen possess a devastating ability to invade human minds with horrible visions, and being clawed by one of the beasts can spell death. About this time the lovely young lady figures out she's not in Colorado anymore. Her abrupt loss of family, friends and a promising musical career hits her hard. All she wants to do is get back home. But how?Missy finds a balm for her troubled heart in the arms of Healden, Prince of Gil-Lael. He's kind and protective, and he's definitely not hard to look at. Through numerous dangers and surprising developments, Missy fights her growing attachment to the handsome prince. Staying with him would mean never seeing her beloved family again. She faces impossible choices that don't only involve herself and Healden, but all of Gil-Lael. For Missy wasn't brought there merely to find romance; she has come to fulfill a prophesy. If she fails in her appointed task, the world she comes to love will fall into the hands of a vicious, mind-altering fiend who wants to control everything, including Missy and her magical flute.The only critical comment I can make about this book is that it's a bit long. I found myself distracted at times, especially through the first half. Condensing it somewhat would pick up the pace. Aside from that, this is a wonderful tale that carried me to a fantastic world I hope to revisit in N.R. Williams' next book.Lyn Horner, author ofDarlin' Druid (Texas Druids)