70 BOOKLIFE, MARCH 8, 2021
SF/FANTASY/HORROR
The Summerlands: A
Mystical Tale of Angels,
Elementals, the Afterlife,
and Souls on Missions
Susan Butler Colwell | Page
Publishing
296p, ebook, $12.99, ISBN 978-1-6624-
1369-8
Debut author Colwell hits the
ground running with this quirkily
endearing magical metaphysical
fantasy that delves deeply into
nothing less than the construc-
tion of the universe. At twenty-
one, Sera Parker finds her way from the palatial Sherman Hill
orphanage of her youth to Leesburg, Virginia, guided by the only
mother-figure she’s known, Celeste, and her own intuition. Upon
arrival, she finds herself among curiously familiar strangers until
the day her true memories and self come back to her—in truth,
she’s surrounded by people she’s loved since time immemorial.
What follows is a thrill-ride of discovery as she faces the mysteries
of who she is, why she’s missing memories, and just what, exactly,
her role will be in the battle between the forces of light and dark.
In an epic feat of world-building, the author delicately balances
action with herculean amounts of exposition. While some of the
large swaths of information can be overwhelming, bogging down
the narrative flow, Colwell takes exceptional effort to ensure
readers are fully immersed in Sera and her journey, even when the
story meanders. Interactions in the Summerlands and some situa-
tions—telepathically chatting over ice cream with an elder in the
form of an Earth-plane dog, for
example—may come across to
some readers as over the top,
though it’s just that embrace of
possibilities that marks the
boundaries among the realms.
One of the most appealing
aspects of the novel, aside from
its beautifully rendered expres-
sions of emotion, is the unique
blend of science fiction and
somewhat simplistic meta-
physics combined with the
relatable psychology of a person
rediscovering and exploring
their own identity. That,with
the artfully sketched cast of
secondary characters, helps
create the start of a series as
endearing as it is thoughtful.
Cleverly added musical and pop
culture references add a pop of
surprise delight.SF/FANTASY/HORROR
The Ukinhan Wilds:
Book One of the Warder
Trilogy
Eldon Thompson | Cyndyn
350p, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-
948825-00-9
Picking up shortly after the
events of Thompson’s Legend of
Asahiel Triology, this epic
fantasy, first in the Warder
trilogy, is jam-packed with
action and adventure. Enjoying
his newfound reputation as a
teenage warrior and dragon-
slayer, Kylac Kronus decides to travel in search of new horizons.
He takes on a job helping to protect a rescued princess as she’s
transported back to her homeland by a company of elite guards.
The group is being stalked by a groll, a fiercely cunning shape-
shifting monster, and only Kylac can meet the challenge with
his blades and wits. After the company suffers a shipwreck, the
survivors must trek through the perilous Ukinhan Wilds. But
even if Kylac succeeds in bringing Princess Denariel home,
they’re still not out of danger.
Kylac and companions undergo a harrowing journey,
pursued by a relentless foe through a deadly landscape.
Though Thompson maintains a high level of tension by
subjecting his characters to creatively lethal dangers, readers
don’t get much opportunity to bond with the cast, lessening
the impact of the high body count and numerous sacrifices.
Even Princess Denariel fails to shine, acting more as a grumpy
plot device than a heroine in
her own right.
Kylac, surprisingly mature
and skilled for a 16-year-old,
tests his limits in the course of
his adventures. This entry is
clearly meant to stand on its
own and set up the rest of the
trilogy, but its relationship to
earlier installments reduces
its accessibility, leaving
readers wanting to know more
about Kylac’s backstory. Late-
in-the-game twists also take
this tale in unexpected direc-
tions, giving the last quarter of
the book a different feel. This
fast-paced fantasy is a blood-
soaked, no-holds-barred
battle for survival that keeps
its characters and readers
guessing.This debut offers an
engaging blend of
science-fiction,
metaphysics and
fantasy centered
around the explora-
tion of self.Production grades
Cover: A
Design & typography: A
Illustrations: –
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B+Production grades
Cover: A
Design & typography: A
Illustrations: –
Editing: B
Marketing copy: CFans of intense
action and heroes
facing terrifying
foes will readily join
teen warrior Kylac’s
caravan through a
perilous world.Great for fans of
Nicholas Eames’s
Kings of the Wyld,
Brent Weeks’s Night
Angel trilogy.Great for fans of
Devon Monk’s
Ordinary Magic series,
Seanan McGuire’s
October Daye series.PAID REVIEWS