Lady Ceralda "Cera" Ryhan is on the run. After her family
is
murdered, she must keep a magical sword protected while
fighting for her life. Along her journey, she meets Jorrin
Aldern, a half elf looking for his father. When they find
their journeys overlap in ways they never expected, they
will learn to trust each other to save the people they
love.
Though SWORD'S CALL by C.A. Szarek starts off strong, this
story was ultimately not for me. I love the opening action
where a kick-butt protagonist, Cera, is introduced. Her
quest starts off packed with adventure, and the bond
between
her and her wolf is wonderful. The world slowly starts to
build into something interesting and unique.
However, shortly after Jorrin and Cera admit their
feelings
for each other, the action almost halts. All of the
initial
set up for the plot goes away, and the romance feels
forced
into center stage. The conflicts within their relationship
feel shallow without enough characterization and character
motivation to support them. A heavy use of fragmented
sentences also gives the story a stiff and occasionally
incoherent feel. I kept hoping for some of the original
excitement and action to come back, but unfortunately, the
momentum does not pick back up.
Overall, SWORD'S CALL by C.A. Szarek does have great
moments
in the beginning. Jorrin and Cera feel like real, complex,
and exciting characters ready for an adventure. However,
the
quick shift to a nearly romance only story after the
initial
set up takes away from the plot. Though this book isn't
for
me, I can see readers who enjoy a slower story line with a
more romantic than action-focused center liking this more
than I did.
For generations, the Ryhans, ruling family of the Province of Greenwald have been keepers of a sword rumored to possess enough magic to defeat kings. Lord Varthan, a former archduke and betrayer of the king, covets the sword and invades Greenwald. Lady Ceralda Ryhan, daughter of the murdered duke, gains the sword and flees, trusting only her white wolf, Trikser—magically bonded to her. Cera needs nothing more to aid in her fight. Jorrin Aldern, half elfin and half human, left his home in the mountains of Aramour to find his human father who disappeared twenty turns before, but finds Cera with Varthan and his shades on her tail instead. His dual heritage and empathic magic will tempt Cera in ways she never thought she’d desire. But can he convince her trust and love can pave the path to redemption or will the epic battle end in tragedy and evil conquer them all?
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