Patricia Hamill's Blog: I read too much! - Posts Tagged "technology"

Eric Elmoor and The Gauntlet of Godric by Thomas A. Meyers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Fantastic fantasy, coming of age in a world torn between technology and tradition.

Eric Elmoor and The Gauntlet of Godric (Book I) is an excellent read.

The story begins with Derex, a disillusioned elf who turns to the dark arts and a mysterious master, Cerberus, to achieve his goal of destroying or at least turning aside the progress of the Initiative, technologically advanced rulers who aim to spread their way of life and their reach across the whole of the continent. Derex and his companions Belial and Faramor plan and execute a synchronized attack on the three major metropolises in Initiative hands, hoping to fill the citizens with fear and discourage the Initiative away from elven lands.

On the same day as the attack, 15 year old Eric Elmoor prepares for the last day of school and considers ways to attract the attention of a girl he has a crush on. But the Initiative, spurred by the tragic attack, sequesters him and his classmates (all students in the elective History of Magic class) for the entire day, grilling them on their interest in magic and motivations related to it. The day finally over, Eric returns home to find his mom deep in conversation with Ben, a wandering mage who has plans for Eric's future.

From there, Eric finds himself swept away from his comfortable city life into the magical and natural realm of the elves where he learns the secrets of his own heritage and potential, meets a beautiful girl, Lillian, and finds himself embroiled in a conflict between the elves and the misguided and dangerous rebel, Derex.

While this story has all the elements of a good fantasy, three elements set it apart from the rest.

One, the world in which the story is set is in a technological revolution, a prime ground for conflicts between traditional cultures who want to maintain their connections to nature and those who would seek to suppress them in the interest of progress.

Two, the story follows three primary characters: Derex the villian (who is both awful and likeable), Eric the young man trying to find his place in the world (self-conscious, confused, and full of potential for either good or evil), and Ben the mage (who desperately seeks to save the elves from their own pridefulness). Each person's story interweaves flawlessly with the rest and it is easy to keep track of where you are in the timeline at any given time.

Three, the imagery is fantastic without trying too hard. Some fantasy stories can get bogged down in the descriptions, not this one. Instead, the author illustrates his world with strong, concise description, making you feel like you are there. The sights, sounds, smells and textures come to life in your mind as the words flow off the page.

This is an outstanding book which I will probably read again (mostly likely each time a sequel comes out).

If you liked the Shannara books by Terry Brooks, you'll like this one, too.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



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