| Children of Amarid Book 1 of the "Lon-Tobyn Chronicles" | |
 |
Rating: Author: David B. Coe Published: May, 1997 Series: Lon-Tobyn Chronicles Review by: CL4 Vex Aldrin Order from amazon.com |
|
Synopsis:
Tobyn-Ser is a vast, wonderous land og towering forests, sprawling plains, lofty snow-capped mountains, mighty rivers and swift, clear-running streams. It's people live off the land or by grace of what they can take from the seas that surround it. They have lived in peace and prosperity for nearly a thousand years, and throughout that time they have been served by the Children of Amarid.
The Children of Amarid are men and women who wield Mage-Craft, a strange and powerful magic that flows from the psychic bond they form with their avian familiars. The Children are governed by the laws handed down by Amarid, the first of their kind, who committed the Mage-Craft and all who would possess it, to serving and protecting the land. Only once in a thousand years has a Mage defied those laws. Theron, a contemporary of Amarid, sought to use his own powers to gain wealth and glory. And for that he was punished, although not before he brought down a terrible curse on his fellow Mages and all who would come after them. Since Theron's death though, the Children of Amarid have fulfilled their oaths, healing Tobyn-Ser's people when thay are injured or ill, repelling invasions by the lands' enemies, and caring for the people in time of crisis. But recently, rumors have spread across Tobyn-Ser like smoke from a wildfire. Children of Amarid have been seen destroying crops, starting fires, vandalising homes and, most horribly, massacring men, women and children. Have the Mages foresaken their promise to serve the land? Or does Tobyn-Ser face a new threat, one that its' people and the Mages are ill-prepared and ill-equipped to face? With the land in turmoil and the peoples faith in the Mage-Craft badly shaken, it falls to Jaryd, a young Mage with extrordinary potential, but little knowledge of the power he wields, to find and destroy Tobyn-Ser's enemies before they destroy the world Review: I can't say too much, or else I will be spoiling. Jaryd, a young man with great potential, gets trained by his uncle Baden, a powerful Owl-Master, to become one of the Children of Aramid. But when the mysterious rogue mages start haunting Tobyn-Ser, Jaryd, his uncle Baden, friend Trahn and some other Mages start a search for the rogues. During that search, Jaryd falls in love with Alayna, also a young Mage and apprentice of the great Owl-master Sartol. But things get worse than they already are, several Mages get killed, including the leader of the Children. And those rogues seem to be something else than true Mages (I'll stop now - I don't want to spoil). I really like the way David Coe gave the Mages their powers: through a bird! A Mage can only use magic when they are bonded with a bird like a hawk or an owl. Now, that's original and adds something special, because what is more magical than those mysterious birds? The story has a few cliches, but that is not a bad thing at all. They only make the story more fun and more familiar. Like the "I think the person did it, but he didn't do ii at all" cliche. This story is a must read, filled with action, adventure, some romance and lots of magic.
Title: Children of Amarid |
2/6/05
