Aron Joice’s The
Rising: The Lost Children of Managrail, Book One, is a fantasy that is
chock full of adventure. When the twins, Lila and Simian of Managrail, fall
from the heights upon which their city is located, and find themselves lost in
the forest inhabited by the night-prowling, flesh-eating Fergay, they set in
motion an epic struggle between and among powerful forces that threaten to
overwhelm them and destroy their way of life.
The impetuous Lila becomes central to all that
transpires, despite her more mature brother’s every efforts. They are soon
joined by Medack and Cayda, who are hunting the marauders who destroyed their
village of Dirth and slaughtered all their kith and kin.
The action in The
Rising is non-stop, with a combination of sword and sorcery that is sure to
please fans of the genre. Despite some excellent writing, the story is somewhat
marred by the introduction of too many characters without ample description of their
origins or motives. A good story would rise to greatness if the reader had a
better understanding of the interrelations of the various factions as they move
inexorably to a showdown after Managrail is destroyed by the Fergay.
While I found the book enjoyable, I’m giving it only
three stars because of this. Joice is an excellent craftsman when it comes to
dialogue, but needs to give more background to help one navigate through the
intricacies of her tale.
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