D. Wallace Peach

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. The concept is like that of the Red Queen series (which I really enjoyed) but the language used just threw me off. I could not understand half of what was going on even though I did get the general idea. I didn’t understand the importance of some of the plot points, but maybe they just weren’t important. The ending also upset me just because it was such a huge cliff hanger. I already couldn’t wait to be done with the book, and I knew there were more in the series, but the ending doesn’t answer any questions but leaves you with a bunch more. Overall, it just wasn’t for me. If you like fantasy and don’t mind learning a whole new language, you might like this one!… (más)

It is the darkest night, and the city of Mur-Vallis is shrouded in fog. Raker, the slant-eyed, three-fingered half-fen, half-human loiters near the dock as if possibly summoned there by the mysterious luminescence that flows through the rivers and streams of the planet. Before this night is done, Raker will save the young child, Catling, whose future will be intertwined with his own in ways neither he nor she ever imagined.

The mystical Farlanders, the original inhabitants of the planet before the Ellegeans, came across to me as the natives, in tune with the natural rhythms of the planet. For me, these beings were reminiscent of the creatures in the movie, Avatar. They lived off the land and followed their nature-based customs believing in the kari, the natural spirits of the planet. However, the Farlanders and their magic posed a threat to the Ellegeans, and when they took power, these folk were tortured and slaughtered as spectacles of entertainment for the people.

The Ellegeans establish an order where the lowliest are born in the bottoms, and where those with the most power abide in the highest levels of the cities. The Influencers’ Guild, a secretive, closed society within Ellegean, holds control over the tiers by flexing their power to manipulate emotions. The Guild’s influence is so subtle that the people have no idea they are controlled from the lowliest to the top, including the King.

Except for Catling, who possesses a rose-colored birthmark encircling her eye which allows her to block the “influence” from affecting the people. This magical ability allows her to see the threads of influence that binds the people. Catling’s ability is a bane to power as well as a boon. The Guild wants her dead, and Catling becomes a pawn in the hands of those wielding power because Catling will never be free of who she is.

Catling’s Bane qualifies as epic fantasy meeting the three qualifications: It is a trilogy or longer, it encompasses many years, and it includes a universe filled with backstory where the saga takes place. This book was my first introduction to D. Wallace Peach’s writing, and I must say I feel like a gushing fan. The writing is superb with descriptions that fly from the page plunking the reader into the midst of this mysterious world. Seldom have I found writing this engaging.

Fantasy and science fiction lovers will applaud the detail in the world of Ellegean. I took my time reading, relishing the characters and the magic that breathed from the author’s written words. I encountered two issues – I couldn’t put the book down, and I dreamed of this far away world every night. I loved the story so much; I’ve already bought the second novel in the series.

If you love epic fantasy/science fiction, this book will engage, enlighten, and entertain you. The book, listed at the introductory price of only $.99, will steal your heart. I’m hooked! Stay tuned, because I’ll be reviewing each book in the series.… (más)

The Melding of Aeris is an original fantasy about a people whose vanity is such that they "meld" the body parts of animals, reptiles, birds, and people onto their own skins to enhance their attractiveness.
Aeris has been born a monster as a result of his parents melding. He only wants human skin and on his eighteenth birthday, he receives it. Unfortunately a man was murdered to provide that skin. The story continues as Aeris is revolted when he finds out about the murder and how he rebels against his parents way of life. He finds new friends who help him with the rebellion. This is a richly imagined book that I highly recommend.… (más)

Myths of the Mirror is a lovely fantasy novel with a carefully built world of beauty, both in the valley of Taran Leigh and in the mountains of the Mirror. The only dark place is the lair of the dragons, but it is necessary to show how the Belonging and the Way make everything else so lovely.
Conall's growth throughout the story is mirrored by Treasa's and justifies their love in the end. The secondary characters are interesting and the evils of coin clearly laid out. This is the second of D. Wallace Peach's books that I have read and I will look for more.… (más)