Available on Paperback and Kindle.

It's taken me nearly a year to read the anthology WRITERS OF THE FUTURE - VOLUME 36 by Galaxy Press. Why did it take me so long to finish it? There are many reasons why, including procrastination, depression, stress, allergies, and the pandemic. Then again, maybe part of me wasn't in the mood to read an anthology.

Writers of the Future is a yearly science fiction and fantasy writing contest. It was founded in the early 1980s by the late pulp author L. Ron Hubbard. The contest Illustrations of the Future started in 1988. The winning stories and illustrations appear in the annual L. Ron Hubbard presents Writers of the Future.  

The stories included in VOLUME 36 are by C. Winspear, Michael Gardner, Andy Dibble, J. L. George, F. J. Bergmann, Leah Ning, Katie Livingston, David A. Elsensohn, Storm Humbert, Mike Perkins, Zack Be, Tim Boiteau, and Sonny Zae. Included with each short story is an illustration by one of the artist winners. The illustrators are Arthur Bowling, Aidin Andrews, Heather A. Laurence, Kaitlyn Goldberg, Ben Hill, Irmak Cavun, John Dale Javier, Mason Matak, Anh Le, Brock Aguirre, Daniel Bitton, and Phoebe Rothfield.

Also, there's an introduction by editor David Farland and art & writing tips by Echo Chernik, Mike Perkins, and Sean Williams. There are three bonus stories by Katherine Kurtz, Jody Lynn Nye, and Nnedi Okorafor. Last but not least are two reprinted writings by L. Ron Hubbard - the essay "Steps in the Right Direction" and the short story "Borrowed Glory."

Final Thoughts

The short stories were a mixed bag for me. A few were well-written, such as Stolen Sky by Storm Humbert, A Price in Every Box by F. J. Bergmann, and Catching My Breath by J. L. George, and the others were more on the dull side. Don't get me wrong - it's not like the stories are bad. I just didn't connect with the narrations and characters. The biggest issue I have with anthologies is that some stories keep my interest and the others don't. 

The illustrations throughout the anthology are all exceptionally crafted by talented artists. I didn't have a favorite because all are equally beautiful.

Overall, I'm rating WRITERS OF THE FUTURE - VOLUME 36 a three out of five. Yes, that might seem low to science fiction readers, but as a whole, this anthology was lackluster at best. Here's hoping VOLUME 37 (set to be released this Fall) will be better.

Available to Buy on Hardcover and Kindle.

I spent the last two days reading the fantasy novel Highfire by New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer, which is being released today by Harper Perennial. I don't read very many dragon novels but the premise of a vodka-drinking and Flashdance-loving dragon intrigued me.

Highfire centers around the last known dragon, Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie, who now lives in the bayous of Louisiana and goes by the name Vern. He prefers to avoid the public at all costs in fear of what the humans would do him. He spends most of his time watching Netflix in a fishing shack. Well, that's until he life is turned upside after rescuing Squib.

Available on Paperback & Kindle.

I became aware of author Charlaine Harris' novels after watching the first season of True Blood on DVD in 2009, and shortly later, I hunted down all of the Sookie Stackhouse titles that were out then. Those books are well-written supernatural tales with intriguing characters. I wasn't aware the author had a new series, Gunnie Rose, out until I received an ARC of A Longer Fall from NetGalley at the tail end of 2019. It turns out it's the second installment in the series. While I have no problem jumping in the middle of a series, I ended up buying the first book, An Easy Death, on Kindle when it was on sale for $1.99.

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * iTunes

With October just days away, there's nothing better to get me in the mood for the Halloween season than reading a supernatural tale, which is exactly what I did this week.

What title did I read?

I read the supernatural fantasy Unearthed: A Death Seeker Novel by Cecy Robson. It centers around Olivia Finn, a pixie who's hiding on Earth from Death! Yes, I said Death! Pixies are from a paradise realm called Fae that was destroyed by Death itself. The survivors of Fae took refuge on Earth. Olivia, like many pixies, tries her best to blend into society so she can avoid the death hounds.

However, she cannot hide forever!

Eventually, Death discovers Olivia's location and learns she might be immune to its deadly grip. Word gets out about Olivia's power over Death and, now, other Faes see her as a savior.

No longer able to run and hide from Death, the only way Olivia can survive is for her to embrace her true self.

“Death is only the beginning.”- Unearthed, Cecy Robson

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About the Author

Cecy Robson is an international and multi-award-winning author of over twenty-five character driven novels. A registered nurse of eighteen years, Cecy spends her free time creating magical worlds, heart-stopping romance, and young adult adventure. After receiving two RITA® nominations, the Maggie Award, the Award of Excellence, and a National Reader’s Choice Award nomination, you can still find Cecy laughing, crying, and cheering on her characters as she pens her next story. 

Connect with Cecy online at:   

Mill Creek Ent.; PG-13; 91 minutes

Do you like watching cheesy B-flicks? Well, you can find plenty of them in the $5 DVD bin at Walmart, including the recently re-released of Dragon Wars: D-War.

Based loosely on the 1989 role-playing video game, Dragon Wars: D-War was released to theaters in 2007. Directed by Hyung Rae Shim, the film stars Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forester, Craig Robinson, Aimee Garcia, and Chris Mulkey.

Ever since he was a child, Ethan Kendrick (played by Jason Behr) has known he has the ability to change an Imoogi into a Celestial Dragon. Now as an adult, working as a news anchor in L.A., he realizes his destiny will finally be foretold when an evil Imoogi, known as "Buraki," is unleashed and brings forth the "Atrox Army," an army of supernatural dragons and warriors, to destroy the world.

This is where Sarah Daniels (played by Amanda Brooks) comes into the story, a young woman who is an incarnation of Yuh Yi Joo. Before the dragon army can get to her, Ethan shows up in the nick of time and rescues her. Well, at least for the time being, as there a prophecy that needs to be fulfilled in order to destroy the Imoogi and the dragon army, so a sacrifice is needed.

The film earned nearly $100 million at the box-office, which isn't too bad considering the budget was round $35 million. However, it was later revealed the special effects went way over-budget, costing nearly $99 million.

Universal Pictures; PG-13; 98 minutes

Now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the fantasy-adventure Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire.

Directed by Patrick Syversen, the film stars Tom Rhys, Jessamine-Bliss Bell, Andre Eriksen, Richard Cordery, Martin Hutson, Turlough Covery, Delroy Brown, Lewis Mackinnon, Marte Germaine Christensen, Orjan Tormod Gamst, Daniel Berge Halvorsen, Stig Frode Henriksen, Tamzin Merchant, and Patrick Stewart as the voice of Dargo.

The original Dragonheart was released to theaters in 1996. It received positive reviews from critics and was mild success at the box-office. A direct-to-video sequel Dragonheart: A New Beginning was released in 2000, but was shunned by critics and fans, mostly due to the bad CGI effects and silly storyline. The franchise seemed to be dead until a direct-to-video prequel, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse, was released in 2015. Despite the prequel's low budget, the CGI effects for the dragon were impressive.

The second prequel, Dragonheart: Battle For The Heartfire, picks up many years after the ending of the third film. King Gareth and Queen Rhonu (and the dragon she was connected to) are both dead. The dragon Drago (now voiced by Patrick Stewart) shared a heart with the king, but somehow survived after the King's death. The King's only son had left the kingdom years ago and since then had died, but he left behind twins - a boy named Edric and a girl named Meghan.

The twins were born with a connection to Drago, who had only noticed their existence after the King had died. Due to their connection with the dragon, the twins have supernatural powers. Edric has superhuman strength and Meghan can control fire.

With Drago's help, the kingdom locates Edric and crowns him the new king. Unfortunately, Edric has no time to enjoy his new life, as his sister has sided with an army of vikings. She's determined to take the kingdom for herself by stealing the power of the heartfire that lies within Drago.

Bonus Features on the Blu-ray are:

• The Making of Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire

• The Magic Behind Drago

• Inside the Castle

Join an all-star cast as they find fantasy, action, romance and adventure in the Emmy winning® The 10th Kingdom! Beyond the mortal world lies Nine Kingdoms where the fantastic land of fairy tales and magic are brought to life – and reinvented. The themes and ideas of folklore and mythology perform fully as the classic characters enter a vortex at the edge of the mortal world which leads them to The 10th Kingdom…Central Park!

This ten part mini-series tells the tale of Prince Wendell (Daniel Lapaine) and the evil queen (Dianne Wiest) who has doomed him to spend the rest of his life as a dog. In order to recapture the throne Prince Wendell travels through the portal to the mythical kingdom of Manhattan and finds two ordinary mortals Virginia (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) and Tony (John Larroquette). Together they battle the evils of the parallel universe, and defend themselves from vile trolls, goblins and every fairy tale character imaginable! Stunning visual effects and a stellar cast create an epic adventure that will enchant audiences of all ages!

An all-star cast featuring a wealth of Emmy®, Oscar®, and Golden Globe®-wining and nominated talent including: John Larroquette (Boston Legal, The Practice), Kimberly Williams-Paisley (Nashville, Father of the Bride), Scott Cohen (Love and Other Drugs, Jacob’s Ladder), Ann-Margret (Bye Bye Birdie, Tommy), Rutger Hauer (Batman Begins, Sin City), Daniel Lapaine (Double Jeopardy), Camryn Manheim (The Practice), Ed O’Neill (Modern Family, Married with Children) and Dianne Wiest (Edward Scissorhands, Parenthood)!

Tomorrowland
Director: Brad Bird
Cast: George Clooney. Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy and Hugh Laurie
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00WAJ8OLG
Running Time: 130 minutes
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD and Blu-ray this Tuesday from Walt Disney Home Entertainment is the fantasy-adventure Tomorrowland. Directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles), the film stars George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy and Hugh Laurie. Bonus Features on the Blu-ray includes Remembering The Future: A Personal Journey Through Tomorrowland With Brad Bird, Animated Short: The Origins Of Plus Ultra, Casting Tomorrowland, A Great Big Beautiful Scoring Session, The World Of Tomorrow Science Hour - Hosted by Futurologist David Nix, Deleted Scenes, Brad Bird Production Diaries, Blast from the Past Commercial and 4 Easter Eggs.

Loosely inspired by the Disney theme parks' Tomorrowland attraction, the film centers on a Florida teenager, Casey Newton (played by Britt Robertson), who has a niche for technology and science. She also has a wild streak that gets her into trouble with the law, which doesn't sit well with her father (played by Tim McGraw), a  NASA engineer.

After being bailed out of jail, a police officer hands over Casey's belongings. She quickly notices that one thing isn't hers - a strange-looking pin that is embossed with a "T" symbol. When she touches the pin, she sees a glimpse of a futuristic world!

With a quick internet search, Casey finds no information on the pin, except that a Houston memorabilia store has been looking for it. She is determined to find out what the pin is and travels to Texas, but upon arriving she is attacked by robots. Luckily for her, she has a new-found friend - an Audio-Animatronic robot named Athena (played by Raffey Cassidy).

Now with more evil robots hot on the trail, Casey and Athena must seek out the inventor Frank Walker (played by George Clooney) to help them travel to Tomorrowland save it from extinction.

The Age Of Adaline
Director: Lee Toland Krieger
Cast: Blake Lively, Michiel Husman, Kathy Baker, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn
Studio: LionsGate
Release Date: September 8, 2015
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B00ZPH4SIS
Running Time: 113 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:
 
I read romantic novels from time to time, as most of my blog readers already know, but for some reason I don't care much for watching romantic flicks. However, there was one movie that caught my eye when I saw it advertised back in the spring, it was titled The Age Of Adaline, which is arriving on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow. The film is directed by Lee Toland Krieger and stars Blake Lively, Michiel Husman, Kathy Baker, Harrison Ford and Ellen Burstyn. Special Features includes an audio commentary with director Lee Toland Krieger, A Love Story for the Ages, Style Throughout the Ages, Discovering Young Harrison Ford: Anthony Ingruber, an Online Sensation and deleted scenes.

The film centers on 29-year-old Adaline Bowman (played by Blake Lively), who had died for a few minutes in a freak car accident. From that moment on, she no longer ages. She attempts to live life, but as her daughter Flemming grows older than her, she decides that she must never stay in the same place for very long. She must change her identity from time to time, so nobody will catch on to who she really is.


Fast forward to the present day, Adaline is once again planning on changing her identity that is until she meets a Ellis Jones (played by Michiel Huisman) at a New Year's Eve party. Despite the attraction, she is determined to ignore her heart and precede with moving away, but Ellis pursues her and eventually she lets down her guard. Taking advice from her aging daughter (played by Ellen Burstyn), Adaline agrees not to runaway again and begins a relationship with Ellis.

Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse
Director: Colin Teague
Starring: Julian Morris, Jassa Ahluwalia, Jonjo O'Neill, Jake Curran, Tamzin Merchant, Dominic Mafham, Ben Kingsley
Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Retail: $34.96
ASIN: B00P7RWOF0
Running Time: PG-13
Rating: 97 minutes
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Wow! I had completely forgotten about the 1996 fantasy adventure Dragonheart until I heard about the the direct-to-video prequel, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse, was being released this year. The original was an underrated medieval dragon tale with Sean Connery voicing the last dragon, Draco. I recall watching it several times in my late teens; actually, I think I might even still have it on VHS (Remember those?). A direct-to-video sequel, Dragonheart: A New Beginning, was released in 2000. I recall watching it once, but I didn't care much for it due to the cliched plot and cheap CGI effects.

Considering it has been fifteen years since the sequel, I'm surprised that Universal 1440 Entertainment would produce a film. Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer's Curse arrived on Blu-ray and DVD last week (February 24, 2015). Directed by Colin Teague (Doctor Who, Torchwood, The White Queen) and stars Julian Morris, Jassa Ahluwalia, Jonjo O'Neill, Jake Curran, Tamzin Merchant, Dominic Mafham and Ben Kingsley as the voice of Drago. The only bonus feature is "Bringing Drago to Life."

Set years before the original film, The Sorcerer's Curse centers on an aspiring knight named Gareth (played by Julian Morris), whom is in dire need of money, so he can buy his knighthood. After witnessing a falling comet, he goes in search for it as he has heard rumors that comets contain gold, but he finds something else - a dragon named Drago.

There are literally too many book in the world and it isn't possible for me to keep up with every new release, let alone read every book that has ever been written, well, unless a nuclear apocalypse occurs giving me all the time in the world to read any book I want to, like in the classic Twilight Zone episode "Time Enough at Last." In reality I don't have a whole lot of time to read anymore. Yes, I can speed read through a novel in an hour if I wanted to, but I have a hard time reviewing a book I just skimmed. I prefer to read every word on every page of a novel. Being a blog reviewer, I have any books piled up to review and the first ones to get reviewed are the ones for blog tours. That being said, I sometimes have to shove a few books aside until I have time to properly read them. This includes the fantasy novel The Sword of Darrow and its sequel The Dragon and the Firefly.

The Sword of Darrow (ISBN-13: 978-1935618478) is set in a magical realm of Sonnencrest, a peaceful kingdom that is until the evil goblin King Malmut and his army of creatures seizes the kingdom. The only survivor of the royal family is Princess Babette, who barely escapes the goblin's grasps. A powerful wizard, Asterux, takes in the young princess and agrees to teach her magic. Ten years passes by and Babette is now ready to take back her kingdom, but she cannot do it alone, so along the way she encourages a young boy, Darrow, to become a hero by giving him a sword that is light as a feather.

The Dragon and the Firefly (ISBN-13: 978-0984980987) takes place twenty-eight years later and focuses on the Queen Babette's twins, Prince Fenn and Princess Aster. A new enemy of the kingdom takes form and kidnaps Fenn. It is up to Aster and her dragon, Moakie, to rescue him. The twins must put aside their fears in order to defeat the upcoming evil.

Spirit Bridge 
A Wells Spring Novel, book 3
by James L. Rubart
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: May 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-1401686093
Pages: 384
Buy Link: Paperback

Review:

Ever since I have joined BookLook Bloggers (formerly called BookSneeze), I have been exposed to many great writers and book titles. Though I did miss out in reviewing book one of the A Wells Spring series, Soul's Gate, I did get a chance to review the second installment, Memory's Door, last year. Finding Christian novels with a supernatural twist may be rare, but if you look hard enough you will find a few titles, which is why is signed up to review the third novel in the series, Spirit Bridge, last month.

In this fantasy, spiritual adventure, the Warriors Riding (Reece, Dan, Brandon and Marcus) thought they had defeated Zennon and his army, but as soon as they try to rest from the last battle, a new round of vicious attacks occur. The warlord Zennon is still alive and he is bringing his wrath across all supernatural realms.

Zennon has always been one step ahead of the Warriors Riding, planting a hidden agenda long before the Warriors were ever set in motion - an agenda that will tear the Warriors Riding in half. Released from the clutches of Zennon's alternate-reality prison, Simon, a street magician, races against time to remember who he is.

Cinderella Goes To The Potty
By Justin Blaneyz (author, illustrator) & Benji Todd (illustrator)
Publisher: Inkliss
Pub. Date: August 21, 2013
ASIN: B00FKRIM4E
Blog Tour: http://litfusegroup.com/author/jblaney
Buy Link: http://ow.ly/qx7Hp 
 
Review:

Ever since the creator of Veronica Mars raised enough money to finance a feature film, the little site Kickstarter has boomed into the mainstream, where actors, producers, writers and everyday people are looking for backers for their projects.

Recently I signed up to review 1/16th of the full graphic novel Cinderella Goes To The Potty from Inkliss, which is part of the new genre called Isfits that uses analogy, graphics and illustrations to help inform children about how to help end sex trafficking.

Cinderella in this tale is forced to live inside a tower. She's been tracking the days by marking on the tower wall. She has been there for 999 nights and she has decided tonight is the night she is going to escape. She hears a man and woman carrying an axe walking up the stairs. One them asks, "Is she fat enough?"

She barely escapes their grasps and the man and woman are eaten by a potty tree. As Cinderella walks further from the tower, the more potty trees she encounters.

I basically read a sample of an upcoming graphic novel in an eBook form, which was a little difficult as the text can be sideways or upside down, forcing me to bend my neck looking at the computer. It would probably been better if I was reading it on my Kindle, as I could just turn the Kindle. At first glance at the title you would think the book would be about teaching children to use the potty, but not so much, as it is more of a Grimm tale that resembles a Tim Burton film. I wouldn't recommend it for young kids, but older kids would like the illustrations.

A Cast Of Stones
The Staff & The Sword, Book 1
By Patrick W. Carr
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: February 1, 2013
ISBN: 0764210432
Pages: 432

Review:

I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy novels, but after becoming addicted to Game of Thrones, I now have an open mind when it comes to the genre, which is one of the reasons why I wanted to review A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr. Sadly, this is one of several books that got shoved aside and collected dust for months until I finally got around to reading it last month.

Desperate for money, the orphan Errol Stone takes on an mission assigned to him by a church messenger. Over the years, he has found a liking to ale, which helps him forget the deaths of his family. The money being offered to him could keep him drunk for at least a week, so he eagerly accepts the mission, which he presumes to be a simple task. He leaves the blackwater village of Callowford, and goes on a mysterious quest alongside the priest Martin, Luis and a couple of warriors from a nearby village.

King Rodran is in a lot of trouble as he has no heir to take the thrown; therefore the church is taking up the responsibility of selecting the next king, but a dark force begins killing the church readers, they are the ones with the ability to look into a piece of stone or wood and see the future.

A Summoner's Tale
Order of the Black Swan, Book 3
By Victoria Danann
Publisher: 7th House 
Pub. Date: February 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-1933320809
ASIN: B00BC1SYKE
Buy Links: Paperback, Kindle 

DESCRIPTION: 

A secret society, a witch, a psychic, vampires, modern day knights, heroes, elves, fae, assassins from another dimension, and fairytales come together where emotions intersect. Two souls, joined by a mystical bond, separated by distance, must simultaneously struggle through pain and darkness in an ultimate confrontation with character and an ultimate struggle for life proving that true love waits patiently through lifetimes and finds courage to survive. Even in the strangest places. Even when you're least expecting it. Even when you're far, far from home.

Review:

Due to family crises, personal issues, and falling behind on my reading, my review for the third book in the Order of the Black Swan series got delayed and delayed. I apologize to the author for the review's lateness.

The 10th Kingdom
Director:
Starring: Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Scott Cohen, John Larroquette, Dianne Wiest
Studio: Mill Creek Entertainment
Release Date: March 19, 2013
ASIN: B00B04NIZO
Retail: $9.98
Number of Discs: 3
Running Time: 444 minutes
Rating: TV-PG
Buy Link: Mill Creek Direct, Amazon

Review:

Before One Upon A Time magically dazzled the television screens, there was an underrated miniseries called The 10th Kingdom that aired in five-parts on NBC in February 2000. With a stunning cast with Diane West, Ed O'Neill, Camryn Manheim, John Larroquette, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Ann-Margret, Rutger Hauer, and Scott Cohen, one would think this lavish event would be a ratings goldmine, but sadly it received low-ratings despite the fact that it garnered good reviews from critics and viewers.

The miniseries was previously released onto a single VHS, a two tapes VHS set (several scenes were removed), a three disc DVD set, and later a single double-sided DVD, all which are out-of-print. Mill Creek Entertainment recently released a three disc DVD set of The 10th Kingdom, in which I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

The 10th Kingdom's plot twisted the classic fairy tales. In the opening, the Evil Queen escapes prison and turns Prince Wendell (the Queen's stepson and the grandson of the late Snow White) into a dog, who quickly escapes through a magic mirror and ends up in modern day New York. The Queen sends Wolf and three trolls after him. The Prince quickly crosses path with a young waitress, Virginia Lewis, along with her janitor father, Anthony Lewis. The Wolf's plans of capturing the prince comes to a halt when he lays eyes on the lovely Virginia, who he instantly falls madly in love with her. He joins Virginia, Anthony, and the Prince when they are forced to into the magic mirror and travel to the Nine Kingdoms. Many dangers and mysteries await them as they try to defeat the wicked queen, restore the Prince back into his body, and find a way home.

Lords of Prophecy
By Michael A. Rothman
Publisher: M&S Publishing, L.L.C.
Pub. Date: March 3, 2013
ISBN: 9780989089401
ASIN: B00BOELL4K
Pages: 450
Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:

The Riverton brothers have completed their training, and despite their own personal skills, they worry about the forces arrayed against them. Knowing the barrier that's kept the people of Trimoria safe for over five centuries is weakening, the brothers ready their ragtag army of humans, dwarves, and elves for battle.

In the meantime, on the other side of the ancient barrier, a growing army of demons have readied themselves for the final battle against the people of Trimoria.

As the barrier weakens, Ryan is struck by bouts of debilitating madness. As the barrier crumbles, so does the hope of Trimoria's citizens. 

Review: 

I've never cared much for the fantasy genre until I watched Game of Thrones on HBO and now I have taken an interest in reading fantasy books, which is one of the reasons why I signed up to review Lords of Prophecy courtesy of the author and Goddess Fish book tours.

Neferet's Curse
A House of Night Novella
By: P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pub. Date: February 19, 2013
ISBN: 978-1250000255
ASIN: B008BU74K0
Pages: 160

Review:

The third A House of Night novella focuses on Neferet's past life in the year 1893 before she was Marked. She was born as Emily Wheiler and at the age on sixteen-years-old she became the Lady of Wheiler House after her mother passed away. She doesn't have much time to mourn as her father, a powerful bank president, demands that she take over late mother's responsibilities, such as planning parties, approving of the dinner menus, being a good hostess and running the household.

She accepts herself as her mother's replacements and hopes that she would become closer to her somewhat estranged father, but she soon realizes that any type of relationship with her father would never happen. At times Emily attempts to hang out with her childhood friends, but her father objects to childish ways. He won't even let her ride her bicycle, which he demands to have remove from the property.

Unexpectedly, she falls in love with a young man that she meets at one of her father's parties, but her father once again objects to her having any type of a life, he even becomes violent. Situations occur that leads her to becoming Marked by a vampyre. She leaves the Wheiler House and is brought to the Chicago House of Night where her destiny as Neferet begins.

A Hero's Throne
The Ancient Earth Trilogy
By Ross Lawhead
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: January 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1595549105
ASIN: B00AE9I1OE
Pages: 336

Review:

I read anywhere between 100 to 250 books in any given year and only a few standout for me. One of those books happens to be the fantasy adventure The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead released in 2011, so I was excited about reviewing the sequel A Hero's Throne, courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

The sequel finds Daniel and Freya on the quest to save the hidden land of Nioergeard by stopping the dark forces from opening the portal and entering into our world. The land rests under the streets of England and only a few know that it exists. Eight years ago, Daniel and Freya stumbled upon the gateway, where they found the stone city and the sleeping knights.

The future of both worlds is in jeopardy. Daniel and Freya must rely on a Scottish police officer and ancient knight to help them return to Nioergeard and awaken the sleeping knights before the dark forces take over forever.