Eye of the Sword by Kathryn Henley

Read Chapter 1

Eye of the Sword is the second book in the Angelaeon Circle by Karyn Henley. The Eye of Sword picks up shortly after the end of Breath of Angel and continues the stories of Trevin and Melaia.

The battle has been fought and Lord Reijus has been temporarily defeated but Camrithia is the weakest it has ever been. Her Comains (similar to medieval knights) have disappeared one by one leaving her defenseless and in the depths of despair. After his recent victories the king has decided that Trevin be appointed a Comain, and his first quest will be to seek out the whereabouts and/or fates of the king's other men. Meanwhile, Princess Melaia has her own quest to lay at Trevin's feet. She desperately needs his help in seeking the lost Kypara Harps which she believes will help her restore the stairway to Heaven and the Tree of Wisdom.

Trevin's quests are burdened with trials before they even begin when Prince Varic of Dregamoor (the King's known enemies) arrives to seek peace and Melaia's hand in marriage. Trevin doesn't trust Varic nor does he appreciate the competition for Melaia's affections, but how can he find out what Varic is really up to while he is roaming the countryside seeking lost Comains and harps? Will he be able to finish his quests and return to Redcliff before the King agrees to the marriage? Will he be able to expose Varic's ulterior motives for coming to Camrithia before it's too late?

I thoroughly enjoyed following Trevin on his quest to find himself as well as all the kingdom has lost. Eye of Sword is well written and engaging. It will keep your attention and surprise you again and again.

The hardest part of reading Eye of the Sword is comprehending the different character types, who they are, and how they relate to one another. Henley has created a whole new world in Camrithia, and it includes men, several different types/classes of angel, Nephili and many other creatures. When you are first introduced to these characters it can become a little overwhelming trying to keep them all straight. Eventually it gets easier but some people may find this a real hindrance and put the book down out of frustration. Let me tell you that they would be missing out!

If you love fantasy and adventure, you will probably find grasping a whole new world easy to overcome. I highly recommend this book to you. I even recommend this book to individuals who might initially shy away from it because it is written by a Christian author. Don't let this stop you from enjoying a great quest! Although Henley very loosely bases her ideas of angels and Nephili on some descriptions in the Bible that is where the religion and religious similarities end. She doesn't shove religion down your throat or write a half-baked allegory. Eye of the Sword is an excellently written book!

I look forward to reading further installments in the Angelaeon Circle!

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing for review purposes.

Other Karyn Henley Books:

A New Adventure by Donita K Paul - The Dragons of Chiril

The Dragons of Chiril, previously published as The Vanishing Sculptor, is another interesting fantasy/allegory written by Donita K. Paul. As clearly stated on the back cover, The Dragons of Chiril takes place before the time of Dragonspell and in another country halfway across the world. It is not a sequel to Paul’s previous series The Dragon Keeper Chronicles. Although many devout Dragon Keeper Fans will be pleased to note that our friends Librettowit and Wizard Fenworth are among the main cast of characters in this novel.

In the country of Chiril, they have never heard of Wulder or Paladin. They don’t even know that dragons can communicate and some even have special abilities. In fact, everything in their world begins to change when a young Emerlindian named Tipper begins to sell off pieces of her father’s artwork to take care of her family after her father’s mysterious disappearance. Little does she know that you her actions have literally made the world start to fall apart! The quest that ensues to set things to rights is filled with adventure and humor as we are reunited with old friends and introduced to new ones.

Overall The Dragons of Chiril is well written and provides a strong story line to follow. Some of the situations that the characters find themselves in are resolved a little too conveniently, but this is a book written for younger readers so some of that is to be expected. The one real complaint I have is that the different races that you encounter in the book are really given much explanation. Yes, I know what a Kimen is versus an O’rant but I have also read The Dragon Keeper Chronicles, and I could look the information up in the glossary at the back but I would much rather have a brief explanation/description given when the race is first introduced. I mean without an explanation/description Bealomondore and Librettowit’s obsession with nice things (especially nice clothing) may seem ridiculous and off based but for someone who knows a little about Tumanhoffers you realize it’s just part of who they are.

Still I would definitely recommend this excellent story to just about anyone. However, I especially recommend it to readers who have previously enjoyed Donita K. Paul’s Dragon Keeper Chronicles.

I was provided this book free of charge by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing for review purposes.

Other Books by Donita K Paul:

Dragon Spell is Spell Binding

When I was browsing the shelves of my local bookstore, I was first drawn to Dragonspell because of the cover art. I love enchantments, fantasy, dragons and adventure. This book looked perfect for me! Within the first few paragraphs I knew I was right. I was going to love this book and I do!

The Dragon Keeper Chronicles, the first of which is Dragonspell, by Donita K. Paulcenters around a former slave girl named Kale and the many friends she meets along her journeys. This book was originally written for grades 4-8, but I was 23 years old the first time I read it and enjoyed it just as much. I just couldn't put the book down. I have since read all of the Dragon Keeper Chronicles and I was very sad when the series came to an end.

The adventures are legendary! The characters are easy to relate to, and you just can't wait for more. The best part is that the books also teach you valuable lessons about faith and purpose as you follow the will of your master and creator.

This book is a must read for the entire family!