One of my goals with “Beyond the Tempest Gate” was to wri...
One of my goals with “Beyond the Tempest Gate” was to write a fantasy work that paid as much attention to language and theme as works of literature do. So, I was really happy to read a review by Dr. Bob Covel, retired professor of English, and a damn fine poet. I consider this a great honor, and it’s just one more great experience I’ve been blessed to have on this publishing adventure.
Bob Covel’s Review:
Beyond the Tempest Gate: the Quest for Literary Excellence
As a child I was, like most boys, fascinated with the idea of heroes. I grew up with the comic book superheroes of the Justice League of America: Superman, Batman, Flash, and all the others. As my level of reading developed, I was exposed to more literary heroes, which led to the great epic heroes of the Iliad, the Odyssey, Beowulf, and Gilgamesh. Along the way, I also followed the heroic exploits in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Robert E. Howard’s Conan series, the Star Wars series, and a number of other hero sagas. All of these stories have one element in common. They all reflect the archetypal quest hero. When I read Joseph Campbell’s iconic book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, all of those stories suddenly fit into a larger pattern. Suddenly, all of those stories and their characters made sense.
This rambling prelude of my own reading history is meant to introduce my praise of Jeff Suwak’s novella Beyond the Tempest Gate. Jeff says that his intent in writing his novella was “to apply literary sensibilities to a fantasy story,” a goal that he has admirably accomplished. The protagonist Gabriel fits well the archetypal elements of the hero. As in many of those stories, Gabriel has a supernatural quest to destroy the demon Elizear who threatens the human race. Gabriel’s mentor Nimphus fits the pattern of the archetypal mentor. Gabriel carries the requisite archetypal sword the Sword of Dunrabian (a la King Arthur’s Excalibur, Beowulf’s Hrunting, as well as the light saber of the Jedi and the sword of Gryffindor, among other magical weapons), which he wields to fight the dark forces that he faces, The Milanites and their leader Gogol . As he defeats the minions of Elizear, Gabriel proves his heroic qualities that lead him to face his dark foe.
The novella is well written. Jeff uses his extensive vocabulary to create a world worthy of the archetypal quest. The descriptions of the scenes bring the world to life. His characters fit the mold of the many types that are evident in all of the heroic legends. While we recognize the types, Jeff’s characters are not merely hodge-podge mix-ups of other literary figures. As with true archetypal characters, they maintain their individuality. Gabriel, Nimphus, Gogol, and even the demon Elizear are striking and interesting in their own right. The story has enough twists and turns (including especially the conclusion) that the reader is not bored.
Anyone who loves fantasy fiction with supernatural or archetypal elements will enjoy reading and re-reading Jeff Suwak’s novella. I look forward to his next foray into the world of literary heroic quests.
