This is a first novel, by a young writer. It is really much better than I hoped for (and I was expecting quite a bit as I know her father).

I really enjoyed this classic fantasy tale.

The characters are well drawn and very interesting. The bad guys are nasty. The good guys are actually admirable.

The only negatives would be that it is a bit predictable (but that’s typical for this genre), plus the world’s cultural, political, and religious traditions need more flesh on their bones. Everything happened a little too quickly and too easily. But much of that is simply because the story is so short. In addition, part of it might be due to a lack of experience: not enough books read, not enough life lived. That being said, I was consistently surprised at the insight delivered by such a young author.

Spiritual level lightly drawn

The sources of power and the belief systems were barely touched. This, too, is common in this genre. However, as you know I’m on a crusade for anointed and edifying content. We are a culture which finds much of our teaching within entertainment. This is especially true of the technology-addicted portion. This puts an ever higher need on our calling as writers to demonstrate truth in our stories.

The good news is that Ms. Johnson’s content, though it covers the spiritual with a very light touch, shows the truth. There is nothing for me to warn you about—unlike many books I have recently reviewed. This is a good, clean story that leaves you feeling good.

There’s even a nicely done reveal of more to come. I’m really looking forward to her next books.

This one’s only on Kindle for the first few months. I think wider distribution will be coming at that time.