Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Genre: Epic
Fantasy/ Coming of Age/ YA
Approximate
word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
“RS McCoy didn’t ever plan on being a writer. With a
career teaching high school science, writing is the last thing she expected.
But life never goes the way you think it will. While battling cancer, she
picked up her laptop and let the words flow out. One year later, her first
published fantasy novel has been released on Amazon and her second novel is in
the works. She is a wife, mother of two, a scientist, baker, gardener, and
life-long science fiction and fantasy addict.”
For more, visit her website.
Description:
"Everyone in the world has a Spark, a light inside
that guides them, keeps them alive... Myxini School for Children specializes in training young men and
women who have powerful Sparks... Larks meets Khea, a small frightened girl who
mysteriously incites his protective nature. He has no explanation for the
curious strength of their relationship, and it doesn’t help that she is one of
the few people in the world whose thoughts can’t be read. As he struggles to
get to the root of their unique bond, Lark begins to unravel more power than
even his mentor expected, but in the process makes himself a target to
political leaders eager to take control. ”
Appraisal:
This story is told through Lark's eyes, a boy who was only trying to
improve his lot in life. When he is chosen to go to the Myxini School for
Children, he feels a lot of guilt over leaving his father and sick mother
behind. He is a good kid and has problems adapting to school life. His mentor,
Avis, is a thorn in his side and does everything he can to get Lark to give up
and go home. Lark, however, is determined to give his best no matter the
circumstances.
Chimalma, a city in the Nakbe Islands, was a barbaric place where
religious figures performed human sacrifices to the dog god Chichiton. There
was a time or two I wanted to slap Lark up-side his head when he didn't grab
the long knives, spears, and copper bracelets from his defeated victims as he
and his small band tried to avoid recapture. I was completely drawn into the
story and cared about their mission, as misguided as it was. The plot was well developed and
flowed smoothly. Also, I noticed no inconsistencies in the many locations or
any of the characters’ attributes, although a couple of puzzling story points
were glossed over and could have used more details.
I enjoyed the idea of the sparks some people had and the different
rates the sparks were given. Ms. McCoy's concept is unique and the story was
engaging. Lark and his classmates’ interactions were pretty typical for their
ages and entertaining. The political intrigue that develops later in the story
was captivating as the misinformation was sorted out. Lark could never have anticipated the skills of those in power.
This story has an epic climax that is horrific and devastating to most
of the characters, but we are given a small ray of hope for a better future.
Sparks are growing stronger and still developing, but certain people have not been dealt
with yet. It will be interesting to see what the future of this world
holds.
Format/Typo
Issues:
My review is based on a pre-release copy of the book, so I’m unable to
evaluate this area.
Rating:
**** Four Stars
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