The journey of Talon Ryhawk and Brenna Tybar begins...
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Reviews
A new series sure to please the pickiest fantasy readers..,
By
Readers Favorite "Book Reviews and Award Contest" (Hawesville, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
(VINE VOICE)
Michelle Erickson has created a new series sure to please the pickiest fantasy readers. In Chest of Souls Book 1, we meet nine year old Talon and the adventure begins with a human sacrifice. The Sons of Ammon were present as the Guardian clasped the willing sacrifice tightly to protect those around them. This was their only chance to destroy the wicked city of Sogo. The scene quickly shifts to an isolated "village" in the midst of a forest. Tasut briskly woke his son Talon and sent him running into the forest with no food and dressed only in his underwear. The young boy instantly obeyed, not knowing if he was in danger or being punished. Talon and a young man named Nyk end up running for their lives. When they returned to the cottage, Talon met Brenna, a beautiful six-year-old with power beyond the imagination. Talon and Brenna were the only hope to destroy Sogo. Together they would make a formidable team...if they could live long enough to develop their powers.
Michelle Erickson does exactly what all authors should do...begin the book with a dynamic, attention grabbing scene. However, she doesn't stop there; she continues with one heart pounding scene after another. Her talent for description brought to life the strange creatures previously only seen in her mind's eye. There are plenty monsters to fear and battle in Chest of Souls: a fierce, part-horse creature, green crabs and ice monsters. Brenna was one of my favorite characters. Although only six years old, she already has self confidence and knows she belongs with Talon. Mee was a creature I could only describe as part cat and part squirrel with an appetite for crab. Tasut was easy to dislike until you realize he does love his son, but he certainly has a problem showing it. Lyon was an assassin believed to be dead, and Mari, his wife, had powers of her own. This is the first book in a new series; I can hardly wait to see what our two heroes face in the next book.
How the book came to be:
MANY years ago, I told my children stories - they liked mine better than anyone else's and my oldest child wanted something new. I began to tell her this story, which has no connection or even a slight resemblance to what the story is now.
During the years my children were growing up, I read A LOT and among those books was David and Leigh Eddings' Rivan Codex. I sort of followed their suggestions about how to write fantasy.
I loosely based my COS epic on the Biblical account of the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah (Sogo) as it is recorded in the Old Testament. Few people realize most of the names of Talon's eventual friends/fellow prisoners are based on the names of the 12 apostles. Along with these magnificent men, I had to have very strong women with enormous willpower, sharp minds, and 'to-do' lists of their own.
MANY years ago, I told my children stories - they liked mine better than anyone else's and my oldest child wanted something new. I began to tell her this story, which has no connection or even a slight resemblance to what the story is now.
During the years my children were growing up, I read A LOT and among those books was David and Leigh Eddings' Rivan Codex. I sort of followed their suggestions about how to write fantasy.
I loosely based my COS epic on the Biblical account of the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah (Sogo) as it is recorded in the Old Testament. Few people realize most of the names of Talon's eventual friends/fellow prisoners are based on the names of the 12 apostles. Along with these magnificent men, I had to have very strong women with enormous willpower, sharp minds, and 'to-do' lists of their own.
Insider Information:
Originally, this book was over 252,000 words long (about a 1,000 pages). I had to break it into thirds. My idea was to write a trilogy - I had NO idea it would become 9 books!
The original titles were: It Begins, It Continues, It Ends (insert a snort and barking laughter, maybe some knee slaps). I simply didn't know what to call it and then, after I really got into the books, I based the entire series on what happens in the Prologue of book one where the Chest is being summoned/powered.
I wanted the book to be 'clean' - no sex, no swearing (although the characters do use some local terms). Readers are aware that things go on behind closed doors, but I never enter in - I didn't find it necessary.
What the book is about: Blurb
Talon and Brenna are destined to bring down the wickedest city in the world (Sogo)
They are not told they've been hunted their entire lives by the very evil they must destroy or that if they manage to get enough training to take it down, they may not win.
Brenna is safe because she’s oblivious to everything but Talon. She doesn't know that her mother is Hi-Sha of Eyes, or that her father was an assassin and he’s supposed to be dead. She doesn't even know her pet (Mee) is the Queen of all Shee’s (squirrel-like animals that can talk).
Talon felt safe until he met Brenna. Once he is ordered to protect her, he's had to fight monsters he never knew existed, run away from an assassin, and escape a forest full of carnivores. His father burned down their cottage and left him with people he just met and he isn't sure who to trust.
The Chest of Souls waits to be powered and these children have no idea what the price will be.
My favorite character in the book?
It's like trying to choose a favorite child. There are things I love about all of them - yes, even Tasut and Haddy (those we love to hate)
I'll just mention the Ryn sisters since they were there planning and plotting before the story begins.
Loni (I picture Emma Thompson) is the ultimate-mother-bear figure that devotes her energy to loving her gaggle of orphans. She is a composite of the best women I've known.
Mari (I picture a young Jane Seymour) is the driven one - devoted to the cause (Keeping her daughter alive long enough to destroy Sogo - not an easy task given Brenna's tendency to disobey). Organized, driven, very passionate about her family. She is classy, but deadly. I would not want to cross her - ever.
Haddy (Megan Fox - with curly long hair, or, if you prefer cartoons, she's Esmeralda). Haddy is selfish, impulsive, carnal-natured, defiant, disobedient, careless, often cruel, judgmental - and looking for love/attention in all the wrong places. I decided early on to kill this character off - writing her was annoying. She REFUSED to die!
My favorite character in the book?
It's like trying to choose a favorite child. There are things I love about all of them - yes, even Tasut and Haddy (those we love to hate)
I'll just mention the Ryn sisters since they were there planning and plotting before the story begins.
Loni (I picture Emma Thompson) is the ultimate-mother-bear figure that devotes her energy to loving her gaggle of orphans. She is a composite of the best women I've known.
Mari (I picture a young Jane Seymour) is the driven one - devoted to the cause (Keeping her daughter alive long enough to destroy Sogo - not an easy task given Brenna's tendency to disobey). Organized, driven, very passionate about her family. She is classy, but deadly. I would not want to cross her - ever.
Haddy (Megan Fox - with curly long hair, or, if you prefer cartoons, she's Esmeralda). Haddy is selfish, impulsive, carnal-natured, defiant, disobedient, careless, often cruel, judgmental - and looking for love/attention in all the wrong places. I decided early on to kill this character off - writing her was annoying. She REFUSED to die!
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