Category: Folklore and Mythology

*Book Cover Reveal*: Jackie Gamber’s “Reclamation” via Leland Dragons!

Posted Friday, 20 December, 2013 by jorielov , , , , , 0 Comments

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*NEWSFLASH* | *NEWSFLASH*

Jackie Gamber’s Leland Dragons series is about to get a third installment, picking up where Book 2 {Sela} left off! IF you may recall, I had the extreme pleasure of reading Book 1 {Redheart} not too long ago! I was consumed by the visceral imagery Ms. Gamber paints into the breadth of her fantastical world! You drink in the narrative as a traveler would observe his surroundings whilst visiting a foreign land, wholly unknown and unfamiliar. She pulls you into the setting by directly etching your heart into being sympathetic to the plight of the Dragons! I have been dreaming of returning into the Provinces ever since I was pulled back into my own everyday reality!

About the Author | Jackie Gamber

Jackie Gamber

You can read Gamber’s Full Biography, on her website, however, I learnt quite a few things about her whilst I was composing my questions for an interview! For instance, the essence of what she knew of dragons that originated from a dream she had that was the impetus to create “Redheart” shattered the misconceptions and perceptions of dragons, thus known in fantasy! She has a wicked sense for knowing which teas pair nicely with the books your palette is whet to taste! She took up knitting for its meditative qualities. If music is in the background whilst she writes, it has to be instinctively nondescript and ambient in nature, as if she hears a curious lyrical line it could shift her scene whilst its being penned! She is a retired servicewoman, secretary, and beloved Mum! She finds a keen balance between her writing and her family life. She adores the zoo beyond what words can express. She is a prolific short story writer. She runs a multi-verse platform for story-telling entitled: Allotrope Media, alongside her husband. Believing that a story has the freedom to express itself through multiple mediums. Insofar as being an accomplished playright and screenwriter! She excels at genre jumping but her heart is attached to science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

“Reclamation” : Book Three

Reclaimation | Book 3 Leland Dragons by Jackie Gamber
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry

Book Synopsis:

Leland Province remains in danger. The sinister Fordon Blackclaw has returned from the shadows to strike at the heart of neighboring Esra, killing its Venur and making clear his intentions to retake what was once his: Mount Gore, seat of the Leland Dragon Council.

All around, the land grows weaker and weaker. Leland, once thought saved by Kallon Redheart, is without purpose, and within its borders, Murk Forest, a place of mystery and danger, has driven its inhabitants to seek aid. Esra is in flames, and the Rage Desert grows. Dragon and human alike struggle to find their way, and the wizard Orman can sense that there may be more at stake than the affairs of dragons.

Hope remains, yet it is not without obstacles. In Esra, Sela, the daughter of Kallon and Riza, found the well, a source of life, and made herself whole again. But her homecoming is not what she had imagined.

Old wounds buried deep must reopen if life is to continue. Dragons, humans, wizards, and shape shifters are all at risk as the peace between dragon and human has finally been broken.

War is here.

The stakes?

Perhaps the whole world.

I am not sure about you, but as I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading “Sela”, … I am a bit in the dark on full knowledge of Kallon & Riza’s daughter! Therefore, how do you think a happy-hearted reader reads this lovely wicked news!? She shouts out from the giddy bits of her soul, “EEK! They had a *daughter!* A daughter! Ohh, boy!” I was over the moon in merriment over this smashingly brilliant news because as foresaid, I simply adore this entire world of Leland Province! I didn’t want the narrative to end, nor did I want to exit the world completely once the story drew to a close! I felt akin to the principle leads in a way that I haven’t always felt connected to characters! Especially considering that I am re-discovering my niche in high fantasy and science fiction! Even if I am not able to read “Sela” in time, I have already put my hat into the toss to be included on the blog book tour for “Reclamation!” This book blogger is seriously stoked for its pending release!! And, she hopes you are too!

Shh!! I have a sneaking feeling I know what is behind “held on high” in this rather pivotal clue of the story!

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Matthew Perry : Shines as Dragon Illustrator

Reclamation by Jackie Gamber | Illustration
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry
Reclamation by Jackie Gamber | Ilustration
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry

I am never fully prepared for what I am going to see included in the illustrative plates by Mr. Perry! He has a way of conveying emotional conviction and heart in each of his illustrations for the Leland Dragon series! The fullness of his designs, allow the reader to proportionate the action of the story against the innocence, joy, and terror of heightened danger! The dragons themselves are humanistic in quality, as you can see exactly what they are thinking, feeling, and conveying by body language and mannerism! A true gem to be inclusive of a series which paints such a hearty portrait of life not so very far away, in a world not entirely different from our own, where survival and the freedom to choose how one is meant to live is always in a constant battle against propriety and the struggle for power. I was enthralled with the first installment of this story, as you were able to absorb the scope of the history of this land without feeling as though you had to read a historical artifact to ascertain the depth of what was at stake. I credit this first to Gamber’s intuitive choices of narrative design and secondly, to Perry who takes her words and uses his palette of illustrative art to construct the realism which aides the reader’s journey!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Contact Information for Author | Illustrator

Official Author Websites: Gamber on Twitter; Personal Site;
Author Page: @ Seventh Star Press
Leland Dragons Official Website
Artist Page: Matthew Perry @ Seventh Star Press; Portfolio

[the Leland Dragons series (#LelandDragons)]

[Book One: Redheart]

[Book Two: Sela]

[Book Three: Reclamation]

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Book Cover Reveal Blog Hop courtesy of:

Tomorrow Comes Media Tour Host

Be sure to catch previous Gamber lovelies on JLAS:
Jorie reviewed Redheart {Book One}

and interviews Jackie Gamber, author of the Leland Dragon series!
This Book Cover Reveal was made possible by Tomorrow Comes Media. They have my full gratitude! And, Gamber is published by Seventh Star Press!

Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.

Seventh Star Press

 Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

The Star ChamberIF you want to hang out with authors of Seventh Star Press, book bloggers, authors at large, as well as the serendipitous twist of conversations which erupt out of an internet radio show? You’ll settle into a wicked hour-long podcast full of bookish content to not only entertain you but enlighten you: hop over to The Star Chamber Show main page on BlogTalkRadio! Tune in Wednesdays, at 9p! {including *Christmas DAY!*} Jorie is the unofficial live-tweeting secretary of the Chamber! You can read ‘near-transcripts’ of each podcast whilst digging through her TW Feed: @JLovesAStory !! Her own appearance was in Episode 2!
Haven’t heard of The Star Chamber?
Check out my Bitly Bundle: The Star Chamber Show! Don’t forget to TWEET: @starchambershow
Hopeful to see Gamber make an appearance in an upcoming Chamber podcast!

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Jackie Gamber Featured : The Star Chamber Show #21

Check Out Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with The Star Chamber on BlogTalkRadio

IF you’re a regular reader of Seventh Star Press titles, what draws you into their fantasy selections? What do you appreciate about Gamber’s visual scope of story-telling? Do you seek out other writers of dragon fiction? Which are your favourites? Stay and converse for a spell letting me know what gets you jazzed about stellar fantasy releases such as “Reclamation!”

{SOURCES: Cover art of “Reclamation” and the illustrations therein by Matthew Perry, Jackie Gamber’s photograph, and Book Synopsis were all provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Seventh Star Press logo badge provided by Seventh Star Press and used with permission. Post dividers were provided by Shabby Blogs, who give bloggers free resources to add personality to their blogs. Cover Reveal badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Podcast of Jackie Gamber on BlogTalkRadio was able to be embedded due to codes provided by The Star Chamber Show’s page on BlogTalkRadio.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.

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Posted Friday, 20 December, 2013 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, BlogTalkRadio, Book Cover Reveal, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Guest Author on the Chamber, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Podcast, Seventh Star Press, The Star Chamber Show, Tomorrow Comes Media, Young Adult Fiction

*Review*: Redheart by Jackie Gamber {Book No. 1 of the Leland Dragon series} The novel which endeared me to Leland Province forevermore!

Posted Wednesday, 30 October, 2013 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

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Redheart by Jackie Gamber

[Book One: Leland Dragon series]

Redheart by Jackie Gamber
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry

[Book Two: Sela]

Published By: Seventh Star Press, April 2011, second edition
Originally Published by: Meadowhawk Press, 2008, first edition [closed]
Official Author Websites: Gamber on Twitter; Personal Site;
Author Page: @ Seventh Star Press
Leland Dragons Official Website
Artist Page: Matthew Perry @ Seventh Star Press; Portfolio
Available Formats: Softcover and E-Book
Page Count: 275

{ converse via: #LelandDragons, #7thStar & #dragonfiction }

Acquired Book By: I am a regular blog book tour hostess for Tomorrow Comes Media, whereupon in conversation with Stephen Zimmer about my appreciation for epic fantasy, I was offered to receive a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review direct from the publisher Seventh Star Press.The book released in April 2011. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Intrigued to Read: When I first decided to become a (blog) book tour hostess with Tomorrow Comes Media, I am not sure if I ever expected to have such a wicked sweet journey unfold in front of me! Inasfar to say, the authors who I am coming in contact with are writers who create lush, living, and dynamically engrossing worlds that make you think about the content that your reading as much as to jettison your wings off into new directions of literary exploration! I am not sure if I ever mentioned to my friends’ how much I have always kept a keen interest in ‘dragons’, as mind you, I was one of the eager movie goers who could not wait for the release of “How to Train Your Dragon”!! Whilst I was growing up my two favourite dragons were in the motion pictures: “Pete’s Dragon” and “The Neverending Story”, of which I saw in such repetition I could nearly recite the dialogue and describe the scene sequences! In later years, “Avatar” held my heart!

I have oft dreamt of the day to simply carve out space to soak into popular dragon literature, as much as seek out new authors that might not always be mentioned by other readers! How thankful I am, then, that this particular book was offered to me to read and review!

About the Author | Jackie Gamber

Jackie Gamber

You can read Gamber’s Full Biography, on her website, however, I learnt quite a few things about her whilst I was composing my questions for an interview! For instance, the essence of what she knew of dragons that originated from a dream she had that was the impetus to create “Redheart” shattered the misconceptions and perceptions of dragons, thus known in fantasy! She has a wicked sense for knowing which teas pair nicely with the books your palette is whet to taste! She took up knitting for its meditative qualities. If music is in the background whilst she writes, it has to be instinctively nondescript and ambient in nature, as if she hears a curious lyrical line it could shift her scene whilst its being penned!  She is a retired servicewoman, secretary, and beloved Mum! She finds a keen balance between her writing and her family life. She adores the zoo beyond what words can express. She is a prolific short story writer. She runs a multi-verse platform for story-telling entitled: Allotrope Media, alongside her husband. Believing that a story has the freedom to express itself through multiple mediums. Insofar as being an accomplished playright and screenwriter! She excels at genre jumping but her heart is attached to science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

 

Dragons & Humans | akin to friendship:

I would nearly suspect that if I were to live in another realm, I would pick one with dragons who appreciate a living space where dragons and humans live harmoniously together! Who would want to bypass this beautiful interaction!? I oft think that inter-species communication and connection for me, goes back to my teen years whilst I was researching oceanography and marine biology for a novel I was writing. For me, singling out the interplay between whales, dolphins, and humans held fast and firm to the presumption that interactions between different species can yield insight that is limited without the connection formed at all! (An excellent film about dolphins and dogs interacting is “Zeus and Roxanne”!) In this way, I have always held a soft spot in my heart for reading and/or listening to stories of the animals who have learnt to communicate with us directly as much as the stories of inter-species communications I have uncovered from rather unique pairings of animals!

The natural world breathes its mirth of knowledge in gentle and slow breaths of enlightenment, which you can observe the more you’re spending time outside, keeping still, and reverently attune to what is being spoken around you! Gentle whispers of truth floating in the short bursts of wind, the kissings of the sun, the sway of the trees, and the noddings of clouds, as you walk into the depths of the natural environment; your perception of what is there is heightened by your presence being accepted by those who call the habitat your walking through: home.

Dragons to me, always felt to encompass human-like characteristics that gave you the impression that if any species could live in an accord with us, it would be the dragons! They are generally emotionally driven, feel things deeply with their hearts, and they have keen observation and hearing skills that make them in a position to have empathy and tolerance. I always had the sense inside me that a dragon is as curious in nature as humans, and oft-times could get themselves into a bit of trouble untoward that regard!

In Redheart, she opens the door for a dragon to be incapacitated to care as he’s shut off his emotional heart, and would rather wallow in his self-pity than to admit that he still has something he can give and achieve, if he only gave himself half a chance! She writes his character flaws well, giving light to his physical discomfort as much as his reflective mannerisms that paint the picture clearly as how you would expect to find him if you stumbled across his cave! His anguish for his deceased parents is soul-wrenching because you can tell he has not yet traversed through his grief and emerged on the other side. He grieves as though they had only just died and his blinded sight of this sorrow is part of what is holding him back. Kallon gives the adjective ‘downtrodden’ a whole new meaning, as you can nearly see his disheartened sighs as he shifts into the floor of his cave and kicks up dust as he snorts, whilst entering his domain!

I think originally when the worlds of the dragons and humans were more intermixed, the relationships and friendships they built together was easier going than it is at the time we enter the life of Kallon and Riza. Fear has changed the landscape, and greed has nearly shattered the natural environment. Yet. Dragons and humans are akin to friendship because it’s part of the wiring of who they are. They are community entities that thrive best whilst surrounded by others’ rather than isolated as recluses. With friendship, each day is a bit more special than the last, because there was someone there to share the experience, the adventure, and the conversation of simply ‘being in the moment’ as it came to pass!

Wordsmiths are my favourites next to research enthusiasts:

Ms. Gamber has a way of weaving the opening bits of this tale in such a way that your hungry for each new sentence that alights in your mind! She has a way of showing the interactions between a freaked out of her skull human and a disgruntled and reclusive dragon as though this were an ordinary tale, set in an ordinary time, and one that would easily be taken as ‘written’ and ‘true’. Her ease of giving the reader the chance to soak into her narrative is brilliant when you consider this is an epic fantasy, with a world created fully unknown to the reader who picks up the book!

Next to (writers who are) research enthusiasts, my next favourite writer is the wordsmith! The one who uses a palette of words to paint the portraits of what evolves into the stories that light up our imaginations with such a vigorous intensity! They use words in a fashion that infuses emotion, heart, and observation in a way that is both poetic and brilliantly unique. And, being emotional beings (dragons), I would wager could lead to disappointments, misunderstandings, and grievously difficult emotional keels! She eclipses the depth of their personality with deft skill! Soulful! Dragons to me, have always come across as being ‘soulful’, filt to the brim with an ageless wisdom and a mission to seek out understanding in things that they do not always understand at first.

Trust, Determination, and Faith:

Three of the most difficult lessons we all face during our lifetimes is trusting what is happening will eventually turn around and become resolved. Staying determined that what ever befalls us will not define who we are or what we are capable of achieving. And, having the faith to encourage the strength needed in order to carry onward when our paths are not readily known or easily seen. I find these attributes at play in Kallon and Riza, who independently have to come to grips with the fact that their lives are taking a few left turns. Each of them are reluctant to admit that they are hesitate when it comes to trusting others, and each other for that matter! Slowly, as they start to spend time in each others’ company, they realise what they are missing by staying solo and isolated from companionship.

Review of Redheart:

What I feel Redheart is truly about is that a single act of courage and sacrifice is what can separate you from a crowd of maddening prejudice. It can also be the spark of the last true gift a father can bestow to his son at the time of his death. The true miracle is not allowing yourself to turn cold-hearted, to where you can no longer see what your heart is hoping you can! Our eyes are only one vehicle of sight, and if we are blinded in our hearts, we experience true blindness by not being able to see what is right in front of us. We’re surrounded by little bits of fragmented knowledge that speaks to us in the ripples of life that bursts and simmers wherever we walk. It’s knowing how to acknowledge where our lifepath is leading us to venture is the true source of understanding the greater whole of our life.

In the opening sequences of the story, the startled out of her wits human presents a classic encounter where the principal character is plucked out of her environment, taken into a new place, and has to sort out how to live where she’s planted! The fact that her rescuer is a reclusive dragon, makes the story ever more endearing, because oft-times you only hear of bold, confident dragons who are never absent of courage, or you encounter the battle-torn dragons who fight more than they alight in joy. Riza has to yield to trusting strangers in order to effectively change her stars and walk forward into a future of her choosing rather than the one that is expected.

Whilst reading the back-story of the dragons, I started to notice the similarities with their ancestral past and those of Native Americans. I grew up surrounded by Native American culture, art, and tradition as my parents always encouraged me to learn about cultures different from my own at a young age. Some of my fondest memories are the conversations I had with a Cherokee gentleman who owned a lovely art gallery and bookshoppe! Through his conversations, I have always been endeared to their cultural heritage, and as I read about Kallon’s dragon legacies of the ages, I started to recognise the underpinnings of cross-references.

An effective insurrection of power is happening in the background of Redheart, as you are introduced to such a garish brute as Blackclaw! His entire being is consumed with a thirst for blood, power, and control – to where he cannot think of anything else except the execution of engaging Dragonkind into a war with the humans! He is the complete opposite of leaders, who previously were vowed to encourage peace and civility with the humans. There is a sideline mystery about the causes of the environmental destructive patterns that are encroaching on the lands of each societies, which gives root to where the distention might have originally began.

Gamber weaves spirituality into her story with subtlety, as she begs the reader to consider the wider view of the story as a whole. To look inside our own hearts and minds, to reach past what we were expecting of the story and to see what she was trying to impart as the message that she has given us all to bear witness to. Living through faith and by faith alone is not an easy task, nor is seeing without the aide of our senses. Friendship is akin to love, and love is akin to friendship, thus so is faith akin to trust without sight.

Gamber has written a hypnotic tale that lulls you into a dreamy state of ethereal bliss, as you enter into the world of the Leland Dragons! It’s a story that you do not want to rush through, as you wander around slowly, taking in each scene and each piece of the world she’s created for the reader to become wholly enthused inside.

A Dragon Hunter with a curious complex of character!

When Jastin Armitage first comes onto the scene in Redheart, I am inwardly suspicious of his motives and of his leanings for dragon | human interactions. I gathered the sense that he was on the ‘opposite’ side of the spectrum from where I stood myself, and it came as no surprise whilst I learnt the hard truth that he ‘hunts dragons’ for a living! That aside, I found it rather curious when Gamber didn’t create the stereotypical ‘hunter’ character, but rather, gave him a bit of a working up as a man who is in conflict and attempting to be a better man than he might endeavour to represent! His gruff attitude towards Riza softened when he saw her up close, and it led me to believe that there is more to his heart than his persona as a rough-and-ready take no prisoners dragon hunter! I smirked and suppressed a giggle when I came across the scene in the The Brown Barrell where he rather cheekily gained information about the dragons he was seeking! I like cheeky humour in epic fantasy, because it helps keep the pace in-between the serious events a happy calm! He is definitely a character you are eager to read more about, with an arched eyebrow and a furrowing crease of your forehead whilst you realise he’s just this side of dangerous!

And, the story continues,…

I am in full gratitude that this is only! the first installment of the Leland Dragon series, as not since Kate Elliott’s “Crown of Stars” series and the aforementioned “Ave” series by Stephen Zimmer, have I settled into such a wonderfully wicked epic fantasy world! All these years I’ve been seeking where I should go next as far as which series to attempt to sink into and which world of whose characters would charm me with their endearing personalities,… It’s not a lightning bolt on anyone’s desk to realise that I adore full-bodied and fully realised worlds to etch myself into and soak straight into the context of the stories that draw me into their realms! The Leland Dragon series thankfully has a second installment already available, and I am hopeful, the third is shortly going to be released as it’s one of those series you are not inclined to want to put down for very long! I found a rumoured note that Book Three delves into Murk Forest whereupon dragon hunter Jastin Armitage becomes the hunted! I say ‘rumoured’ as I cannot find any mentionings online for when Book Three will drop, but I did come across the news that it marks the final installment, making Leland Dragons a trilogy! I can only hope once I reach that part of the story, I am ready to say “Good-bye”. For this story is a powerful one, that encourages you to move your fingers gingerly page to page, daring not to know what is revealed next, and yet, willing you to read where the story is leading  you to go!

All I can say, is that I hope there is more ‘flying amongst the clouds and over the trees’, as being free to explore the land and sky in this way I think is every dreamers ultimate wish! Rock on, Ms. Gamber for giving me such a wicked sense of pure joy and sense of adventure by capturing how it would feel to be ‘in flight’ without the security of being in a plane! I would fathom that being astride a dragon is similar to that of a horse, as there is a co-companionship that emerges that turns the journey into a conjoined experience.


“Redheart” by Jackie Gamber Book Trailer by Seventh Star Press


Be sure to catch the second half of this showcase on JLAS:
Jorie interviews Jackie Gamber, author of the Leland Dragon series!

This review was made possible by Seventh Star Press! They have my full gratitude!

Seventh Star Press

IF your a reader of dragon lore and fiction, which books and series stand out in your mind as the next ‘best’ read for me to engage in!? I’ll compile a list, and when I go to sit down with more books of this nature, I will pull your suggestions together and see how many I can read! I do have copies of “Eragon” & “Brisinger” on my self as much as I am curious about: the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, the Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb, Pern by Anne MacCaffrey, and the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede, of which I have stumbled across thus far! IF you’ve read any of these, which were your favourites!? And, what warmed you to the story of Redheart, as I reviewed the story!?
Cross-listed on: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Fridays via On Starships & Dragonwings
{ converse via: #LelandDragons, #7thStar & #dragonfiction }

{SOURCES: Cover art of “Redheart” by Matthew Perry and Jackie Gamber’s photograph were all provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Seventh Star Press logo badge provided by Seventh Star Press and used with permission. The book trailer by Seventh Star Press had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Blog tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013.

Related Articles:

Dragons in Literature – (en.wikipedia.org)

Jackie Gamber Tea Pairings with Books via English Tea Shop Blog – (englishtea.us)

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Posted Wednesday, 30 October, 2013 by jorielov in Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Novel, Dragon Fiction, Equality In Literature, Fantasy Fiction, Fantasy Romance, Folklore and Mythology, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Young Adult Fiction

*Blog Book Tour* : Chronicles of Ave: Vol. I by Stephen Zimmer

Posted Saturday, 5 October, 2013 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

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Chronicles of Ave: Vol I | Tomorrow Comes Media

Chronicles of Ave: Volume I by Stephen Zimmer

[continuing the saga started within the Fires of Eden series]

[Book One: Crown of Vengeance]
[Book Two: Dream of Legends]
[Book Three: Spirit of Fire]

Published By: Seventh Star Press, 3 September 2013
Official Author Websites: Zimmer on Facebook; Zimmer on Twitter; Personal Site; Blog
Author Page: @ Seventh Star Press
Artist Page: Matthew Perry @ Seventh Star Press; Portfolio

Available Formats: Softcover and E-Book
Page Count: 330

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a stop on the “Chronicles of Ave: Vol. I” Virtual Book Tour, hosted by Tomorrow Comes Media. I received a complimentary copy of “Chronicles of Ave: Vol. I”  in exchange for an honest review by the publisher Seventh Star Press. The book released on 3 September 2013. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. This marks my first stop as a Tour Host for Tomorrow Comes Media!

It should be known: Although, I do not know Mr. Zimmer personally, I have come to appreciate his conversations on science fiction and fantasy, as I uncover exactly where my allegiances lie in each genre! There was a period of time, not so far away from today, whereupon I knew exactly the thematic of story I could sink myself into, but time and memory have waylaid my knowledge of those specifics! Through working with Mr. Zimmer to set up book tours through Tomorrow Comes Media, I am finding a new niche of this side of my reading life, and I am thankful to have found such a kind-hearted and genuine voice at the other end of my inquisitive missives! I was thankful too, that he agreed to partake in an author submitted interview by someone such as I, who had not yet read a book of his, but was curious to know a bit more about him, and of his writings!

Stephen ZimmerAuthor Biography

Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author of speculative fiction, whose works include the Fires in Eden Series (Epic Fantasy), the Rising Dawn Saga (epic-scale Urban Fantasy), the Harvey and Solomon tales (Steampunk), the Hellscapes tales (Horror), and the Rayden Valkyrie tales (Sword and Sorcery).

He is also a writer-director in movie-making, with feature and short film credits such as Shadows Light, The Sirens, and Swordbearer. His Steampunk stories are available through Dark Oak Press.


The Chronicles of Ave
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry

Synopsis of The Chronicles of Ave: Volume I:

Escape into the wonders of Ave in this first collection of short stories featuring the fantastical world from the Fires in Eden Series by Stephen Zimmer.

Into Glory Ride” tells the story of a young Trogen Warrior who is called to go up against insurmountable odds when an Elven raid strikes his homeland. The Trogens have only begun training winged steeds for combat, but time is of the essence and a momentous choice has to be made by the young warrior.

In “A Touch of Serenity” a conscript laborer working on a massive wall constructed under the orders of the Divine Emperor begins to hear ghostly voices asking for help. His response leads him on a journey that will test his courage, wisdom, and compassion.

In “Moonlight’s Grace” a young man goes to help his people when a Midragardan raid strikes Gael. He seeks to prove his worth to the chieftain whose daughter he loves with all his heart.

The novella-length “Winter’s Embrace” follows a warrior-monk into the depths of dangerous woodlands in the heart of winter. There he will find his faith tested in ways he never anticipated, when he must help a forest witch against an enigmatic, immortal being known as the Undying.

Lion Heart” introduces the heroic Sigananda of the Amazu people, who must confront things that transcend the laws of the physical world when powerful Wizards threaten his homeland.

In “Land of Shadow” a knight who is part of a band of Avanoran mercenaries discovers how perilous the mysterious Shadowlands are when they undertake a journey to locate a site to build a fortress.

A world of wonder beckons to be explored and fantasy enthusiasts are invited along for the journey in these half-dozen stories from the world of Ave!

Also be sure to take further adventures in Ave in the Fires in Eden Series, beginning with Crown of Vengeance, Book One!

On how to pronounce the title:

“Ave” is pronounced like “Ave Maria”. It’s a salutation in Latin, closest to the word “Hail”. He wanted a way to announce the creation of the world, and the world itself is a proclamation of its existence as much as the beginning of the stories of the world itself.

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In the Authors Own Words:

Ave is meant to be a salutation to life and existence itself, in
the purest sense, as the antithesis to oblivion and death. Ave is, in
some senses, a salute to life and the world at its origin, and hopefully
its eventual, transcendent state where death has no place.

Therefore, Ave is filled with the glory of welcoming, an enthusiastic
“Hail” to life, and you can embody the idea of that in the love of a
mother for a son, and the gift of a mother, as resonates in that song
“Ave Maria”.

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| “Into Glory Ride” |

I was not quite prepared for the warrior’s song that I uncovered whilst reading this short story, as I was drenched into the heart of the Trogen’s fiery spirit, as Marragesh sets the pace for a heart-wrenching battle to reclaim his clan’s right to live outside the borders of their greatest enemy, the Elves! Taken a bit aback at the dedicated war hunger of the Elves, I was esteemed to find Marragesh and his clansmen built of such sturdy fortitude and bravery, realise that they could effectively change their race’s future; if they could only resolve how to make an imprint of a theshold on their enemy’s next advance! What bolted me to enraptured emotion in the ending pages of this story, is the dexterity of skill, the Trogen’s exercised in the sky!

I haven’t read fantasy novels in quite a long while (at least of this magnitude!), enso, my point-of-references are all but obscured and obstructed! Yet within the layers Zimmer used to build this battle, he’s able to capture with the keenest sense of story-telling precision, the etches of other battles from other fantastical realms. In the thick of the battle flight, where sword is pitted against sword, creature fighting against creature to retain their alighted heroes, I saw echoes of the Jedi attempting to make enroads against the Sith in their surge against the Death Star, as much as I saw a murmuring echo of the battle sequences in Avatar, when Jake took the courage to stand with his fellow Na’vi, who became his adopted brotherhood!

The sweeping arc of the setting grabs you from the moment you recognise the gravity of the scene unfolding for young Marragesh and his steed, Banca as they practically tip-toe amongst the cliffs he’s meant to keep watch over to guard over his clan’s safety. Waves crashing against the bolstered cliff wall took me to far away lands I have only dreamt of visiting and hope to see with my own eyes one day. There is always a draw for me to be on a land of such magnitude of power as the sea evokes to its native shores. A resolute strength against the tides! And, in regards to Banca’s sure footedness any person who has a fondness for cats, can assert that some animals are naturally graced with a sturdy gait and a footfall that defies logic! Especially since, this reader has a feisty little tux that can scale a rail and run its length without even a whisper of her presence known! Fur flying behind her bloomers and all!

The entitlement provoked a certain resonance for foreshadow that I was observant of, yet being an optimistic soul, I had hoped for an alternative outcome, when logically there could only have been the one transcripted! I think we always want to hold onto what we are never ready to part with, as a part of our human condition and inability to always yield to accepting the circumstances that bring about the most change in our lives. Even as a reader, we long for characters that we travel along with as they ride into their destiny to take a piece of our hope with them, that our strength can somehow infect them with a bit of a balm of extra strength, and somehow we take away with us a part of theirs in return. Their strength etches into our consciousness, as we lament about their life’s song of purpose, forever grateful to have crossed their path. Zimmer has a gentle hand in navigating what a heart yearns to see and what destiny has already provoked to being necessary!

I had hoped that Mr. Perry might have included sketch references of the Elven Lavion and of the Trogen Harrak, as although I could just make out each of their differences and strengths, I think a sketch might have helped shaped the sky battle a bit better for me! I was most impressed by the docility of Marragesh’s Harrak, as it reminded me of how fond a warrior Native was attached to their horse! I think there are certain bonds between animals and the ones deemed to fight alongside them.

An end that came too soon: I was swept into the Trogen’s encampment, to the brink of being thirsty for more of their stories! I can see why in the footnotes of this collection it is said that Zimmer’s readership crave the stories featuring the Trogen’s! How could they naught!? They’re bold warriors who have a sense of fighting skills and courage that even the Vikings would consider honourable! They are a mighty gruff race of war-hardened men, who endear you to them by the way in which they fight for their freedom and way of living! They commit you to their cause without having to overstate their purpose! I appreciated how Zimmer transcends the potential gore of war into a metaphoric rumination on life, peace, and the hope of what may yet come. He humanizes his characters, grounding them with a full conscience of integrity, and allows them to champion our heroic endurance to seek a way for them to succeed! I will look forward to digging into the “Fires of Eden” series as I am able too! I daresay, I want to know more! This is a brilliant introduction as it is a window into one specific time period of Trogen life, yet its the full gist of their threaded core of courage and heart!

As an aside, each time I read “Marragesh” I inadvertedly thought musefully of “Marrakesh”!

| “A Touch of Serenity” |

Epic in the scope that a sense of place is easily recognisable as an alternative sub-sphere of time which stitches close to the construction of the Great Wall of China. On the crescent sliver of engaging into this new history of Ave, I vaguely remembered the brutal horror of a warlord like Ghanghis Khan, (although not Ghanghis Khan!) of whom was notorious for entombing his foot soldiers into the pillar statues of an army tenfold in size! Of course, I am not sure if this has been reputed and disregarded as mere ‘myth’ rather than definitive proof of existing, as this stems back into my childhood! And, such stories always stand out to be rather fantastical and scary! This was a different story from how the Terracotta Warriors came into being! I remember well how I longed to learn more about his reign (here I am referring directly to Ghanghis Khan!), and those of the Mongolians! I am not as sure as why I have always been drawn into histories of war, but war played a large part of my interests in history throughout the centuries. Perhaps because it is in our nature to go to war with such a frequency that is harrowingly shocking! Therefore, this opening sequence of events was not met with aghast horror but with a fascination of just how far a ruler would go to ‘cleanse’ his servants’ existence in the pursuit of a maddening project of vanity and power!

I trudged forward into this story, because I knew at the heart of this one could lie self-sacrifice of another lens by which Zimmer chose to key in on and give his readers another hearty segment of museful solace! He’s definitely a story-teller who wants his words not only to soak into your mind whilst reading, but to leave a definite impression to be re-examined and turned over once the story is not as readily visible! This is one of his strengths, as he lays bear his impressions and lamentations of what he wants to depart upon the benefit of his characters’ giving voice to his own thoughts on these subjects!

Being a student of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, I took an interest in his lead character’s name in this short, as it drew me back to why I appreciate the serenity that can be found whilst practicing the Four Winds as much as the Long Form! I miss the reverent days of my studies in T’ai Chi Ch’uan, but when ones’ instructor ups and leaves without notice, its oft difficult to find a replacement whose calm teaching yields the ability for internal solitude of thought intermeshed with seeking the hidden benefits of slowing down one’s mind, in order to capture a tenth of the chi lost in the chaos of everyday life! Zimmer’s Ch’uan evoked a sense of longing to restore the peace I used to cherish in securing each morning I would practice!

It was here, at the introduction of Chang Tao Ling, that I realised that the insight of Mr. Zimmer in knowing where my heart lay with fantasy was of the utmost of truths! I could not eat the words fast enough, nor could I drink in the heart-pounding joy of being a breath away from a tiger! I am truly a girl bent on reading epic fantasy! What a joyous discovery to have made, because I was curious if I leant more towards this side of fantasy rather than another! I do appreciate the scope and depth to these kinds of stories, which is why I think the most obvious of things to note are generally the ones that are within plain sight! I should also disclose that I have always held a candle for learning more about Chinese history, folklore, and mythology! I am drawn into stories that touch on these subjects, as much as I appreciate a motion picture that explores a certain level of mythical proportions! One of my favourites, of course, is “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, which I believe I mentioned on my blog recently (although I could be mistaken and bespoke of it on another blog completely!), as it lends itself to that particular style of story-telling that I adore so much! There are other films that fit into this particular niche, as much as they shift out of it a bit: “House of Flying Daggers”, “Hero”, “Curse of the Golden Flower”, “Life of Pi”, and “The Forbidden Kingdom”, by which I would like to see one day! And, of course I appreciated “Bulletproof Monk”, even if I wished the CGI sequences could have been matted a bit better against the live action!

Remnants of readings of the Magi were subtly contained within the wizard counsel where we’re introduced to: Fu Shen, Tsai Shen, Kuan-Ti, and Shou Lao! I also detected a bit of Incan and Aztec histories inside this story, as I know more of their sacrifices than of other cultures, as I have visited Mayan ruins, where of the three distinct cultures, the Mayan’s infused a temperament not seen in the other two! With a dashing nod to the Egyptians as well! This story has a bit more intense battle playing out inside itself, but as foresaid, Zimmer has a way of dampening the level of bloodshed to impart the greater message that the tale is being writ to give!

I was not a bit surprised at the gravity of the evil encased into this storyline, as it begs to reason that with great power can bequeath either great good or great evil! There is always a ying-yang balance, which directly applies here as the roots of this story lie in the mythologies of the East. I think none of us truly are aware of what our earthen gift is until we reach the day where we instinctively feel that we have arrived at the moment by which our true path has emerged into view. Each of us can do far more than we think is possible, and each of us can give back so very much to others in ways that we may not even be readily aware of. The key to life and of living is to remain steadfastly open to the possibilities that are beckoning just beyond the light of what we understand!

An enlightened man’s eyes become fully awake, filled with light, and are perpetually open rather than closed. His sight is not blinded to what he didn’t understand previously, but rather, is cast anew by the insight he has been given!

| “Moonlight’s Grace” |

This is the one short I didn’t finish reading, because the turn of bloodshed evoked more of a visage of horror then I was willing to shake off as ‘part of the overall story’! I do have my limitations, and for me, this one was just a bit too brutal for me to recover from or go through! I think if the beheading had been cheeky as in Harry Potter’s introduction to “Nearly Headless Nick” for instance, I might have been able to sustain it, but this is, wells, let’s just say, it’s a proper beheading! I am sure Louis VIII would find it faire of choice! I did not get to the ‘grace of the moonlight’, so I do not know if Finnian & Brigit were able to secure their affirmative love for each other, or if they were ill-fated to unite! Honestly, I had an easier time with the previous two shorts, because the stitchings of the story were not co-dependent on the battlefield gore in the foreground, but rather an internal course of fate!

I did read the note on this short in the back of the book, as I nearly had forgotten that Mr. Zimmer was including notes on each story,… I think I will ask him which page to ‘skip over too’ in order to bypass the battle, jump into the romance that is evolving between these two characters, and tap into the reason he has selected this as one of his favourites thus far to have written! I wish I had a stronger stomach, but I just couldn’t shift past that particular gruesome scene, sorry! Having read his spin on this short, I see its of true importance to the story of the people of Gael!

| “Winter’s Embrace” |

A simple respite from a glowering fire-filled ire of humid insanity, I started to allow my mind to entertain the full brunt of Winter, to off-set my uncomfortablity in enduring a Southern Autumn! This short brings such blissful notions to mind as stomping through high packed snow, whistling winds, and a bone-chill of cold to greet your body as you step outside into the elements! What heavenly bliss to partake in, whilst your succumbing to high 90+ degrees when a few states to your North are already seeing the temperatures bank downward into the mid-60s or in some fortunate spots, droplets of snow have begun to fall! A story of Winter! I am already enjoying it!

Ah, Zimmer returns to the style I appreciate when it comes to fierce battles of woe! Skirting the grisly details, being near euphoric in hope, and confirming that the battle is intense, but there is a greater purpose about to be lit upon! I guess you could say I like war to be a bit glossy and rosy! I really do not need to bear witness to the exactness of what a soldier or warrior needs to experience, because I have enough empathy inside me to last many moons over many lifetimes of battle scarred warriors! Of course, I spoke too soon! I made it through the battle, but ugh, the next bit reminded me too much of what I didn’t like in the ending chapters of “The Boxcar Baby”! I will give the next short a go!

| “Lion Heart” |

I appreciated that the central focus on the opening of this story wasn’t about the kill that takes place (here I refer to a wild animal, not a person), but rather, what led to the killing to happen, which struck a chord, as I oft wondered if this could occur in our world as well, if hunters and those with them might not see the warning signs on the trail they are walking and could befall a situation that had tragic consequences. The wild environs deserve our greatest respect, because the animals who live in the wild play by a different mindset and group of rules than those of man. Instinct reigns supreme as does the fight for survival at all costs. I like how he included the Native American beliefs that I grew up listening too by a Cherokee I befriended at an art gallery who stressed that his tribe and others, do not believe in killing what cannot be used nor what is not readily needed. He said that an animal that gives their life has to be honoured and respected in return, and ever since that day, I have noticed how many indigenous cultures feel the same and keep the same traditions. I, too, believe this, and I am not sure if this was inspired by the stories I overheard OR if I had had this view prior to knowing. I lean towards my views being spilt in the middle of origin!

Actually, in a unique twist of wording, I was impressed that Zimmer lessened the severity of the scene by using a clever ‘visual metaphor’ of describing one of the crucial bits to it! My mind adverted off the scene directly and juxaposition his clever foreshadow of the action being described rather than to consume myself with the totality of what was really happening! Highly appreciated!

Sigananda is given a foreshadowing of his destiny by Mawa, who is the village’s seer that I think many would have not only balked against as possible but would have contemplated why they were singled out before accepting her words as truth. I did miss a bit in not having read Ave, as to understand the key structure of his people, such as the differentiating regiments of warriors that can be called to battle; however, I tried not to worry about what I didn’t fully understand and focused instead on who the impetus for entitling this “Lion Heart” would be revealed as to being! I like stories that give a particular character a ‘quest to undertake that is both grave and mortally wounding’ as they are generally the mark of transition of character, growth, and the full realisation of that person’s pre-destined path. I appreciate these stories because they seek to encompass the larger truths that are not always explored.

I even like the exploration of Sigananda’s back-story, as in regarding to his unwavering courage in times of intense adversity! He is a strong character who does not understand the true depths of his worth, nor of his abilities, but he has the honour of a warrior who knows that despite any doubts he might foresee, he must march in the direction of where he is ordered to deliver a resolution that everyone can accept. I liked how he is flawed in one sense, as he distrusts his own abilities, but knowing of the task he was given, I am sure most would have felt the same! And, yet he is strong in another, as how he is able to think quickly on his feet to secure his safety and the safety of others in harm’s way. He’s an interesting character for sure! And, I sensed that like Marragesh, his path is not lighted with an easy load by which to carry!

This short ends on the precipice of a larger evolving story, by which, I would think expands in the part of Ave that it originally was inspired to be drawn out of. In that way, I am curious if the boy and girl effectively hold a larger piece of where Sigananda’s future path takes him!?

| “Land of Shadow” |

The second thing I found amiss in the collection came to me whilst I read this short, (as the first I had said was the lack of illustrative plates by Mr. Perry to help encase our heads around the inhabitants of Ave), was the lack of a topographical map! I had forgotten how helpful I find maps to be inside fantasy novels, because they help align your bearings as you walk through different realms within the same world! They help you get a navigational sense of place, and therefore, can best ascertain the vastness of distance that worlds such as Ave contain! My favourites always included the different tribes, as well as specific landmarks known or not yet known within the timescape of the story itself! I think I have missed having that at the ready! I would presume it is enclosed with the first installment of Ave!?

The Shadowlands being presented here in this short, is not for the weak of heart as to having to thwart or contend with creatures that put the hairs on your necks on auto-pilot detection! I’m not a fan of spiders, so just knowing this part of Ave has a mutant variety of them at the ready to pounce on you was just as devastating to realise that there are water-based creatures who can fell a man simply out of boredom! What a curiously hostile part of Ave! Reminiscent of documentaries I have viewed on tv that depict such harsh and dangerous areas in our own part of the universe, I can attest that this is one girl who would not traipse through this territory but opt instead to hang out with the Trogens!

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comA note on Zimmer’s style of story-telling:

He is one of the writers that I would genuinely be delighted to seek out (if it had not been for Tomorrow Comes Media!), as he parlays his fervent passion for research by interspersing what he uncovers into the tapestry by which Ave is threaded against! It’s a world that encompasses as many distinctively unique cultures, traditions, spirituality’s, and languages as our own living counterpart, and yet, it has something to give back to us as well!

It’s quite apparent at first reading that Ave is a world that you can gently enter into but its a world that draws a breath of dedication with each glance! The further you walk inside Ave, the more you want to know, the more you want to experience, and the more your drawn to wonder about the extensive scope of the stories that prompted this collection of shorts, which marks a transition through a lesser notation of them in the serial installments already known! Bits and bobbles of undercurrent histories stitched into the under threads, that give a larger impression of the story on a whole! OR, at least this is what I imagine to be true!

You get the firm sense that Zimmer is a voracious reader who dips into a bit of everything that yields to his personal curiosity and allows his mind to wander through the gate of his imagination to deposit into a reader’s hands a wholly encased world whose dimensions are ever expanding into larger scales of tales yet to be told! Except for the few shorts, where I think he opted instead for traditional heroic bloodshed story-telling! This might draw a close eye towards the fact he appreciates the horror genre, and bits of that seep into this side of his fantasy worlds. It’s his passion for research that I applaud first and foremost, as not every writer goes to the length as he does and I always celebrate a writer I find who carries out research on this level! Secondly, he endeavours you to amplify his words into motion by the words he uses to provoke a visual response, in which backs up something he said in an interview I heard of his (whilst researching which questions I wanted to ask him in my own interview!) where he acclaimed his novels are set to embody a motion picture medium rather than the printed world of the book! This is a claim he rightly deserves to make!

The care he takes to diminish the force of the violence inside by counter-balancing it with a life lesson is absolute genius, because your not as apt to focus on the brief encounters of evil, but rather, on the benefits of what each short attempts to draw out of the character he’s chosen to hone in on instead! These characters, I perceive to be secondary ones in the larger stories (novels), yet, they have a specific life-path in Ave that cross-sects with the intervening entities or events that bring about the most metamorphose of growth! You can use me as a barometer in knowing that if I can handle these stories, you can as well! I have an intolerance for violence, but I cherish the soulful stories such as these that grant the reader a ruminative conclusion of what they’ve read!

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A pause to highlight some of his character’s name selections:

Marragesh – My first instinct was that this name was not wantonly unknown to me, but I couldn’t place its direct origin, except to query a curious eye as towards it was a surname rather than a first name! I, tend to do this myself, whilst I am creating characters that I want to draw a firmer breath of strength into and to set them apart from their fore-bearers or familial contingents! My earlier mentioning of having this ‘hint me towards Marrakesh’ was my way of expressing that I create ‘endearing’ names for characters I struggle with to pronounce! In this way, I find characters transcend their original intentions left behind by the writer’s whose hand drew life into them! I am not sure of his method of creating names, which is why this will remain elusive to me!

Jarun – I did not know there is a lake in Croatia of this same name! I remembered “Jaran” or “Jaren”, and I wasn’t sure if he was hinting that this was an alternative to either of those or a new name completely! It doesn’t surprise me that he named the Trogens with bold and strong names, that can inflict their personality into their warrior spirits! Afterall, a warrior isn’t akin to a name that doesn’t sound like it could weaken in battle! No! They want a name that can be declared with a bit of power behind the letters!

Ch’uan – Is a bit easier to place, as its a name originating from Thai, yet is a Chinese name! The direct meaning of the name is to transmit a message or to convey a message, which is interesting, as this is what I was speaking about how ‘names can clue us into a character’ in a way that is singularly unique outside the scope of the narrative! It is also in different reference to T’ai Chi Ch’uan, in which it is known as boxing with fist, which is clever as this Ch’uan in the story is a pacifist!

Chang Tao Ling – This wizard’s first name can be representative of the attributions of “constant or often” which I think speaks directly to his ethics of how he approaches his duties as a wizard. Tao is a way of ushering in a path by which to take or of an understanding of a particular route. This is recognised readily when Ch’uan and Ling first meet in the forest! Ling can even be referred to as monasterial in Tibet, but I think what is being called upon here is that he is a reverent sage! Historically, “Chang Tao-Ling” founded the “Way of the Celestial Masters” as part of Chinese Religious Beliefs!

Fu Shen – The more interesting sounding names, I oft discover have a rather ordinary meaning behind them! As would you think that “Fu” means simply to be pretty!? Shen on the other hand can go the gambit as being part of Chinese spirituality or can be a testament towards accepting that not every dragon you cross paths with is going to be the good natured kind! Being a wizard I would presume its part compliment to his countenance and part a glimpse into his spirit. Wizards, of course, were always known to be enlightened past the brink of commoners, such as monks generally are known as well! In Chinese mythology, “Fu Shen” was a God of Happiness!

Tsai Shen – How interesting! This name could mean: spiritually gifted chai! As in Cantonese this “Tsai” translates to chai, by which is one of my favourite drinks!! Especially if its in latte form, silky smooth, and a cuppa of comfort of luxury! Clever! Except to say, that “Tsai Shen” was a powerful God of Wealth and Prosperity!

Kuan-Ti – One thing that I have known, is that writers who are passionate about research, which parlays into the spiritual realms, have the tendency to leave behind little ‘grains of seeds and sand’ that a reader can seek out and gain further insight into the creating side of the stories they read! As the wizards who were presented in the short, something struck me as being extraordinary about not only how they were being introduced but the names in which they held! Clearly, despite my absence of reading fantasy, I have not lost all my instincts in the genre, as this article will expand on the history of “Kuan-Ti”.

Shou Lao – If you seek, so you shall find! Look at what I found about the origin behind “Shou Lao”!! Whose full meaning will illuminate in your mind after you read Ch’uan’s story in full! Ironically or naught, I knew there was a bit more to that final sequence than my mind was attaching itself towards! I just ‘knew’ I was missing something!! Humph! I sorted it! Wicked!

Brigit – The name made me think of “Bridget”, though I knew better than to suspect commoner origins for her, as she has a story of great urgency and importance to share, which made me smile whilst I uncovered the “Celtic Brigid“!

Finnian – I love unearthing potential histories of characters I encounter in stories, as I may stumble across a writer’s inspiration behind their character names, but even if I hit a bit into left field, the joy in simply understanding a plausible next level of insight into a story, is enough for me to feel content! “Finnian of Clonard” has an interesting life’s tale to share!

I personally love character names that make you pensive about the origins of where they were generated as much as the motivation of the author to use them! They give a sense of place that you cannot always slide into the narrative as easily as a ‘name’, as our names are as distinctive as our ancestral backgrounds! They are like fingerprints of origin and hint at a history just outside our scope of knowing!
Rock on, Mr. Zimmer!

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The short that told a tale larger than its size:

A toss-up between “Into Glory Ride” and “A Touch of Serenity”, although of the two, I think I lean more towards “Into Glory Ride” because it was the one that choked me with emotion the most! Despite my affection for Ch’uan, of whom I hope is developed further into the annals of Ave, it was the sheer bravery and choices made by young sky riding Trogen males that endeared me to their race and to their triumph over the Elves! There is something naturally spiritual about the story that takes us into Marragesh and Jarun’s world ever-so-briefly. A parable of a dying breed of men who choose to rise above their own desires in order to see the clan by which they belong endure longer than their oppressor hopes to extinguish! I find great courage in this story, as well as such a strength of Hope that weaves through their courageous hearts! I am not sure if they mirror how I perceive the soldiers’ I give back too through Soldiers’ Angels, banning together and being strong for each other at the times that count the most or not, but this story was larger than its size!

 Ave, Middle Earth, and Pandora, places I can only long to visit:

I can easily assimilate myself into worlds whose expanse of depth encircles a sphere as big as our own Earth! Challenging and shifting histories, cultural clashes, religious misunderstandings, and the everyday strife for people to survive is etched into any world that is written into the hearts of the readers who find their stories! I am not certain if Pandora was necessarily available in story format prior to the motion picture of “Avatar” being released, but the reason I included that particular world is due to the majestic arc of its natural environment! I was literally swept out of this reality and placed wholly into another one — by the time the film ended on its climax, I was hungry for the next installment! The Na’vi are an indigenous race who endear themselves to you as soon as you meet them! How could you not want to live amongst them, even despite the obstacles towards that end!? I can still see the forest if I close my eyes, and listen ever so closely to the sounds that you would hear if you walking at nightfall…

When I was first introduced to “Middle Earth“, it was an unexpected late afternoon / early evening showing as I went during opening weekend of “The Fellowship of the Ring“! I would later aspire to attend a midnight showing, but I am not remembering if I had; I do know I saw a midnight showing of the last prequel of “Star Wars“! From that very first glimpse into Middle Earth, I knew I had ‘gone home’, as there was such a curious attraction of recognition from what my eyes took in from the screen! I couldn’t get over this feeling as though “I have been there”, and yet, after learning that the director Peter David had filmed in New Zealand, that loomed to be a rather large improbability! Yet. I never shook the feeling, and to this day, I hold a special place in my heart for Middle Earth! My favourites are book-ended, as its the middle ‘Middle Earth’ film that I didn’t appreciate as much! (“The Two Towers“) Which strangely is my same affirmation for “The Chronicles of Narnia“!

Although, this serves as my first introduction to the world of Ave, I very much hope that its not my last sojourn into its core of history! I am hopeful that despite the battle savvy warriors of the Trogens, and the dedication of the warriors of Gael, that perhaps there will be more of the life of Ch’uan and of the descendents of Marragesh’s clan! I’d love to see what happened to the evolving arc away from Elven rule, to where the Trogens could declare liberty and live more freely! I would very much like to see Ave in peace-time as much as I have seen her in war-time! There must be lands of enchanting visual beauty as well, as Ave appears to me to be a world where the natural world is as divinely inspiring as the one that lives outside our own doors!

What staid with me after I closed the final pages on this collection of Ave:

I learnt that its okay not to thoroughly become engaged with each short inside a collection of shorts, if I can detect an appreciation for the world at large, in which this case is Ave! I think this is why I was always a bit hesitant to read short story collections, because I oft wondered, what happens if I cannot find my footing!? What if I cannot sink into the stories, but find rather, I like bits and bobbles in each of them, but overall, I cannot get my head to wrap around the whole!? I learnt through this tour, that with collections such as these, it’s better to go in seeking a path towards understanding the world of the “Fires of Eden” series verse attempting to put heart-to-mind in a resolve to engage in each short as it was intended to be read! Afterall, what appeals to me through “Into Glory Ride” and “A Touch of Serenity” might not appeal to the next reader at all and vice versa!

I also learnt that I am drawn into epic fantasy realms where the scope of the story is told out through many installments, and where each of the layers that you unravel only serve to give you a further glimpse into a partial history of the combined story! I love the mystery and suspense that that evokes, as you never know who or whom you will encounter, or how each piece of the puzzle will fall into place, until you reach each new chapter or tome of story! Such bliss, right!?

There are creatures who have a dedicated heart that match their companions, and there are unsightly evils that seek to destroy the remaining good that has Ave wrapped in Light. I like how the stories each strive to serve one main purpose of showing the dividing lines between good vs. evil in a few new ways than might first be expected to be revealed. These are the stories that everyone can relate to the most, and the ones I think will always have weight to be consumed!

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“Crown of Vengeance” (Book One of the Fires of Eden series) by Stephen Zimmer

by Seventh Star Press

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Be sure to catch the second half of this showcase on JLAS:
Jorie interviews Stephen Zimmer!

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“Shrewsbury & Zimmer” Virtual Book Tour Roadmap:

  1. 30 September: Contest @ Library Girl Reads & Reviews
  2. 30 September: Interview with Stephen Zimmer @ Ian’s Realm
  3. 30 September: Review @ Book in the Bag
  4. 1 October: Review of “Blood & Steel: Legends of Gaul”
    by Steven Shrewsbury @ Azure Dwarf
  5. 1 October: Reader Interview Stephen Zimmer @ Bee’s Knees Reviews
  6. 1 October: Guest Post by Steven Shrewsbury @ Armand Rosamilia, Author
  7. 1 October: Review of “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One” @ Lost Inside the Covers
  8. 2 October: Character Post: Gorias La Gaul @ Beauty in Ruins
  9. 2 October: Guest Post: Steven Zimmer @ Come Selahway with Me
  10. 2 October: Guest Post: Steven Shrewsbury @ Sheila Deeth
  11. 3 October: Promo Spotlight @ Deal Sharing Aunt
  12. 4 October: Promo Spotlight @ Sapphyria’s Book Reviews
  13. 5 October: Promo Spotlight @ Spellbindings
  14. 5 October: Review of “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One”
    + Reader Interview Stephen Zimmer @ Jorie Loves A Story
  15. 5 October: Review @ Jess Resides Here
  16. 5 October: Guest Post: Stephen Zimmer @ SpecMusicMuse
  17. 6 October: Promo Spotlight @ The Flipside of Julianne
  18. 6 October: Review @ L. Andrew Cooper’s Horrific Scribblings

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.comBe sure to scope out upcoming tours I will be hosting with:
Tomorrow Comes Media Tour Hoston my Bookish Events Featured on JLAS!

Please take note of the Related Articles as they were hand selected due to being of cross-reference importance in relation to this book review. This applies to each post on my blog where you see Related Articles underneath the post. Be sure to take a moment to acknowledge the further readings which are offered.

{SOURCES: Cover art of “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One” by Matthew Perry; Stephen Zimmer’s photograph and biography, and the blog tour badge were all provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. The book trailer by Seventh Star Press had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2013

Related Articles:

Stephen Zimmer – (gingernutsofhorror.com)

Author Stephen Zimmer Talks about Word Counts – (breathoflifebookreviews.blogspot.com)

Azure Dwarf Horde: Interview with Stephen Zimmer, June 23, 2012 (YouTube) – (youtube.com/user/SeventhStarPress)

Chinese Terracota Warriors – (pinterest.com/pattirabbit)

Worlds of Wonder Author Hop Day 4: Welcome to Ave, a World Like No Other – (stephenzimmer.blogspot.com)

Guest Post by Stephen Zimmer – Challenges of Writing Short Stories That Tie Into Fantasy Series – (smsand.wordpress.com)

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Posted Saturday, 5 October, 2013 by jorielov in Anthology Collection of Stories, Fantasy Fiction, Folklore and Mythology, Heroic Bloodshed, Heroic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Supernatural Fiction, Sword & Scorcery, Tomorrow Comes Media