Book Review – The Keeper of the Flame by Catherine Chase
book description
The mystical land of Draecus, a land isolated from all others for generations. In Mikaelia, she is only remembered in bedtime stories passed down through the centuries. Now that the war for the lands of Mikaelia is over, the human woman Jarnell fights her family’s marriage wishes to unite two noble houses and strengthen her family holdings. On the run, she seeks out her elven friend, Dekion, and gains an amazing traveling companion in the form of a half-orch warrior, Sahri-tah. Reunited after the devastating wars between the races of their land, the three fight against their own distrust of each other’s races to search for Dekion’s father, who was lost during the wars. Following their only clue, given to them by a mad man in the streets of Sel Lorst, they find themselves in the magical and lost land of Draecus, where a war between humans and orscha has just begun. While they wait, the companions become embroiled in the war raging across the once-peaceful Draecus. They must fight to stay alive long enough for the portals to open again and allow them to return to their own land. At the same time, Jarnell, a follower of the Goddess of Passion, struggles with the desire to remain in the arms of the Daedic, the only man who has ever rekindled the flames of passion in her body, mind, and soul.
Book Review
Mrs. Chase has written a novel that intricately weaves several plots deftly into a single cohesive story, spanning several years and, while self-contained, leaves the reader wanting to know more. This is good, as there are rumors of another book in the same historical timeline as this one by Ms. Chase.
Featuring fanciful yet believable characters, races like the elves, orscha, and a race of people known as the Aishtoullar, who are similar to characters we’ve seen in other fantasy novels, but with a new twist that’s unlike anything the reader can find. in any other fantasy novel – the characters of Keeper of the flame it won’t fail to delight you and keep you hooked into the story, and it’s not the same tired fantasy fiction runs you might be used to reading about in recent fantasy books.
The story begins with the birth of Jarnell, our unlikely heroine, who came into this world and her position in a rather chaotic way, to fulfill a destiny unknown to her, her family or her companions, a destiny known only to them. She is the goddess she serves, but to whom she has never fully committed herself and her blade, a destiny Jarnell isn’t sure he can fulfill.
From there, we are introduced to a variety of characters, all linked to Jarnell in some way, and watch their adventures as they travel in search of him, a quest that, if they fail, would ultimately mean the destruction of two worlds. In this quest, we are taken through a series of events that show us war and destruction, but also love and friendship, and blood ties, family, not to mention a great romance thrown in the middle of it all. chaos. It’s a nice balance and a believable plot that any reader can relate to.
Keeper of the Flame is a story of passion… passion for life, passion for love, passion for following one’s destiny, despite all obstacles.
The writing style of this book is almost poetic in nature, but it is very easy to read. The images are beautiful, the created lands drawn as images through words. The editing is magnificent. The format of the book is neat, attractive and clean. The binding is strong, with a high-gloss, full-color paperback cover with bold colors.
I highly recommend this novel and look forward to more of Ms. Chase’s creations.
Keeper of the Flame,
by Catherine Chase
* Paperback: 296 pages
*Publisher: Oculus Media Group, LLC (July 3, 2007)
* English language
* ISBN-10: 1934677019