by
Humanity's time has run out
She'll never be a victim again, but Rowena's new power could destroy her country.
WOODSPELL is Volume 1 in the completed trilogy TALES OF ARDONNA: WOODSPELL SERIES, a fairy tale for adults.
Publisher: Kapeo Press
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Tropes: Band of Misfits, Found Family, Reluctant Hero
Setting: The improbable planet of Ardonna
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
Tropes: Band of Misfits, Found Family, Reluctant Hero
Setting: The improbable planet of Ardonna
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Continuous / Same Characters
The scenic route turned murky after nightfall. Our land glider’s lights were little help. Alby wanted to push on as long as possible before parking up to sleep, so we kept going. I thought this sensible. Every league forward was a gift. People rarely left Maldhonia Province. Perhaps they’d hunt us down. But the day had passed without issue. Our road wound along the foothills of the northern Wood Mountains, earning its scenic name. The sun shone from a cloudless sky, light scattering through branches. Trees marched vertical leagues over our heads, pausing at boulders along the heights, where anything could hide, then faded into dusk. In the dark, the forest formed one shadowy wall. Mist rose in the headlights. We were both tired, and likely dazed by monotony, but I don’t believe that set us off seeing things.
READ MORE“She appeared out of nowhere!” Alby gestured frantically at the darkness. “I had to swerve to avoid hitting her . . . and then . . . this tree . . . it literally jumped out at us! Blessed hells, it killed my ‘Luxie!”
I didn’t see the cause of our crash. I woke to crunching metal and shattering glass. But my brother never used the word “literally,” nor any superlative, and didn’t drink or use drugs—he’d lectured me on all these things. Alby favored reason and clarity. Preciseness in actions and speech. If he said there’d been a beautiful woman, naked and glowing, standing in the middle of the road, those were facts. Shame I’d missed her.
COLLAPSESpell Binding
5 starsThis is another one of those book 1's that make me want to binge my way through the series that follows. Alas I have a pile of samples still ahead of me, but I'll be coming back to this series before too long.
The story starts out naturally enough, but soon turns surreal. It reminded me of Carlos Casteneda's The Teachings of Don Juan without all the psychotropics.
The sumptuous language kept me turning pages as Rowena navigated the confusing and confused transition from human to something else - something more. Collins leaves the metaphorical meanings of it all to the reader, but this reader - at least - came away with a very strong feeling of hope and well-being.
Yes, there's a well-developed plot. The ensemble cast of characters revolving around Rowena's sun shine in her reflected light and create their own web of magic on the pages. The world itself seems made of magic - if only the humans would take the time to see it.
Then there are the trees. I love the trees.
Highly Recommended.
