Do you remember that old song that says, "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you"? In an interesting twist on the fairy tale, Ross Lawhead's book suggests the same thing.
The main characters, Daniel Tulley and Freya Reynolds, discover that the real world and the world of legends, myths, and fairy tales actually overlap.
As children, Daniel and Freya, stumbled into another realm while on a field trip. In this new realm, they awaken two knights who have been sleeping for 1000 years. In order to get back to modern day England, Daniel and Freya, have to help the good knights free their land of an evil force.
As adults, eight years later, Daniel and Freya are struggling to make sense of what happened. Daniel continues to battle dark forces that have crossed into our realm, while Freya is battling OCD. Freya is nearly paralyzed by the fear of returning to the other realm. Daniel yearns to be a hero. The two of them are still at the center of an epic (and almost eternal) battle.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Realms Thereunder. I admit I have often asked myself, "What if those legends aren't really legends after all." Or "What if those creatures truly existed. I have loved knights and swords since I was little. The elements of this story tapped into a part of my imagination that is rooted deep into my heart. Swords, knights, enchantments, and the destruction of evil. What's not to love. Then, Ross Lawhead, takes all of that (myth and legend) and slams it straight down in this world. Awesome!
If you spent your free time in high school reading King Arthur stories, you will love this book. If you didn't, you might find that you can still enjoy it. I will give this caveat, the author makes liberal use of flashbacks and flash-forwards. It doesn't really slow the story down, but if you aren't able to read it straight through (and most people can't), it can make it a bit harder remembering what has already happened in the story.
One other warning. This is the first book in a series. If you hate the idea of waiting a year (or two) to read the next one (or two), then you might want to hold off on checking it out. Or you could read it now, and then read it again later when the other books come out. It's up to you.
If you love fiction, and fantasy in particular, I encourage you to check this one out. If you hate fantasy or fiction or both, try broadening your horizons.
I was given this e-book by Thomas Nelson through Booksneeze.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are mine.
I agree. This is a solid and engaging work for a first time fantasy author. I have been a longtime fan of Stephen Lawhead, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how similar a writer Ross is to his father. I would definitely recommend this book. Here's a link: http://dld.bz/aqJtg
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I think Ross has done a great job, especially as this is his first book. He has infused it with that mythic element that makes all good fantasy books worth reading. I look forward to the second and third in the trilogy. Link: http://dld.bz/aqJtg
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