The Way Between: Harry Potter With Contemporary Message

By Gayle Morrow

I am not a devoted fan of the fantasy genre so did
not expect to care for this first in a series work by Rivera Sun. Instead I was
captivated almost immediately.

The premise is a “lost heir” of a dead queen
turning out to be a pixie, fairy-like young girl; fairly common type set-up in
fantasy, a genre that allows women to receive their kudos. However, the
underlining universal theme is the pull between violence and peace—how do we
choose who represents violence, who represents non-violence, and who stands
away avoiding the choice altogether? Is a world with no war even possible? Why
do we revere the warriors and only give pittance to the peace makers?

The protagonist, Ari Ara, [translates to “not this
not that”] who thinks herself an orphan, found and reared by the Fanten, is not
allowed to be a part of their culture by Fanten Grandmother, who is of course
harboring a secret.

In this world there are two “ways” a person can be born
into:  Attar is the Way of Blazing Fire that
encompasses the warriors and protectors of the royal families. Anar is the Way
of Shadows and its people stand away from war, but do nothing to stop it. Then
there is the third way, a choice that very few in the history of the land have
had the courage to follow—The Way Between, Azar, teaches peace and
reconciliation. 

This book begins with Ari Ara as an orphan and ends
at the point that she learns her true story and fate. The characters are
believable; even bullies, outsiders, and the physically impaired are
represented. The story is well developed and, although easy to follow,
certainly never becomes boring. There is a very helpful map at the beginning of
Chapter One that I [visual person] referred to over and over to get a picture
of the lay of the land, which is important to the development. The names of the
physical features and places are not only delightful but plant a picture in
your mind…Monk’s Hand Monastery, Forefinger Ridge, Monk’s Tears River…

I thoroughly enjoyed this opening story and look
forward to the next in the series tackling more of humankind’s ancient yet
still urgent questions regarding war and peace. I just Skyped with my
12-year-old grandson, total Harry Potter and series fan, who mentioned he was
out of reading material, so sending this on to him. Thinking of it as Harry
Potter with a contemporary message, and recommending it for twelve years, or
precocious pre-teens, through adult. Five stars.

You can find The Way Between here. And, don’t miss the sequel, The Lost Heir.