Genre: Fantasy/Young
Adult/Short Story
Description:
“If Father Tree dies so will all children and creatures of the Twin
Goddess including the Njae. Arael's Rest, the home of the Kalwyn Njae, has been
under siege by the Halurdow for more than a generation. Added to the enemy, a
plague has struck the Njae--a plague that is always fatal. If any Kalwyn Njae
are to survive, they must flee their home. Seeress Illyani and her son,
Glimrion, fight to save Father Tree and stop the Halurdow. Will they succeed?”
Author:
Susan Stuckey: “Currently (mostly) retired, but 'back in the day'
Susan was a meek, mild-mannered, self-effacing accountant/auditor by day but
after 5:00 her imagination broke free. She either played with historical
stories, or in the magical World of Aldura she created.
Besides playing in fantasy worlds and/or historical times, Susan
dabbles in various hobbies, loves to try new recipes, and is the servant of
multiple fur-children (both feline and canine).”
Learn more about Ms. Stuckey by checking out her website and Facebookpage.
Appraisal:
Tears of
a Seeress is a prequel to Phaedra. It’s
a powerfully emotional tale about love and commitment for family, clan, and
hope for a better future. Father Tree grows in the heart of Arael's Rest, the
home of the Kalwyn Njae, who have been entreated to its protection. The Njae
have erected a Barrier Wall surrounding Arael’s Rest, which will be imbued with
magic following their exodus, to safer territories. The Halurdows,
blood-thirsty warriors of the Dark God - Urdow, are sworn to annihilate
everything the Twin Goddess has created, are fast approaching the gates of
Arael’s Rest.
Seeress Illyani and her entire family, are facing heart-wrenching
decisions before the exodus through a secret tunnel under the Barrier Wall. The
plot moves fast, as there are only fourteen pages. However, that doesn’t mean
this is a light read. Ms. Stuckey has chosen her words wisely to weave
heart-breaking tension and reflection to draw the reader in quickly while
setting up the premise. The main characters and setting are well described. The
magic is well thought-out and fascinating. I am glad I picked up this short story
and highly recommend all of Ms. Stuckey’s stories in her Tales of Aldura
series. She is a masterful storyteller and will not let you down.
FYI:
Although Tears of the Seeress is set earlier in the time-line, than
other Tales of Aldura series, I would recommend reading this after reading Phaedra.
Format/Typo
Issues:
No errors in proofing or formatting.
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: ?wazithinkin
Approximate
word count: 4-5,000 words
2 comments:
What a pleasant surprise! Thank you ever so much for reading and reviewing. I'm delighted you enjoyed it!!!
You're welcome, Ms. Stuckey. Thank you for dropping in and commenting.
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