Evil can snatch away her homeland, kill her family, and change her way of life forever...but it could not stamp out her spirit or her magic...
On her nineteenth birthday, Angelterra, princess of Palzintine, finds her peaceful existence shattered by an invading horde. Shutharja, a sorcerer and cleric of the forbidden worship of the Fallen Spirits, unleashes his war of shock and plunder against all the kingdoms surrounding the Imperial Sea in his pursuit of ultimate power.
With her beloved kingdom captured and her dear parents presumably slaughtered in the failed defense of her homeland, Angelterra and her wheatish-skinned protector, a lady knight named Jeela, must flee Palzintine. During their desperate flight, these two young women are continually hunted by monstrous beasts and dark agents of Shutharja. Angelterra and Jeela must find away to reunite with the rest of their countryman, who are now refugees, huddled in a neighboring kingdom. Along the way, she collects an assortment of allies and friends to help her fight back against this menace that has swallowed her land and threatens all the kingdoms of this world.
Out of the necessity of her survival, she discovers the wondrous mysteries surrounding "First Magic" and what it means to bind with its essence and wield its power. She begins to ponder if she is indeed the unthinkable, a wizard herself. Then, in an intense and lucid dream, the "Vision Dream," from beyond the realm of man and magic, Angelterra is given two very cryptic quests by the Spirit of the Heavenly Father for her to unravel. She is convinced that these two quests hold the key to defeating, once and for all, the evil which Shutharja has unleashed upon the world. She learns that by the Infinite Spirit revealing such quests to her, and her alone, means that she has been chosen to be His next "Vessel."
This epic adventure continues with "Daughters of Thine Lesser Evil "(B00A2Z2ZVU) and "Suzerain of the Beast"
Born in Detroit in the tail end of the fifties, I lived on its Eastside. While growing up in the Motor City, I loved to play games that relied on my imagination. I really enjoyed pretending to be a cowboy when I was very young. Westerns were big in those days, and I watched a lot of popular ones like the "Lone Ranger", "Cheyenne", and "Zorro" on television…and not always in color. As I got a little older, I developed a fascination for everything space which bordered on obsession. The space race with the old Soviet Union was in full swing. I often pretended that I was an astronaut exploring an alien world. I enjoyed watching TV shows dedicated to that genre such as "Lost in Space", "Thunderbirds", and "Star Trek". All these television programs helped to fuel my budding creativity. Later, we migrated all the way over to the Westside of Detroit, where I spent my rebellious teenage years—it was a crazy, and a bit of a foggy time.
In high school, I found that I loved to write. I kept a notebook where I would experiment with small stories, a kind of doodling with words. Writing was a way to free my imagination and let it run wild. I thought books were the greatest invention ever made, and I still do. The first book that really affected me deeply was "Flowers for Algernon". Later, I read the "Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy both of which started my love affair with the fantasy genre.
At twenty, I joined the naval service; with the idea of leaving my midwestern life behind and setting out on a grand adventure traveling the world. Stationed in the northeastern part of Washington State, I found the surrounding landscape, where the Cascade Mountains touched the icy cold waters of Puget Sound, to be almost mythical. Sometimes, the western half of Washington State reminded me a bit of the fantastical lands one would find in a fantasy novel. It was an inspiring place for sure.
My naval unit was sent several times over those early years from Washington State to be deployed aboard two different, gigantic aircraft carriers (both of which have now been decommissioned—man, do I feel old!). My voyages aboard those ships took me to such wondrous places as the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong. I remember the magical feeling of standing there, high up on the flight deck, at the bow of those massive ships on a warm night, the sea breeze kissing my face, the twinkling Milky Way arcing above, and the dark, churning waters of the unending Indian Ocean stretching out in all directions. It was an incredible personal adventure. I read constantly during my precious free time (Sci-fi, westerns, but mostly fantasy) and would write every night for hours as that mammoth, metal ship rocked gently in the middle of the ocean. At the time, I was scribbling away on a book that could be considered a prequel to "Flight of the Vessel".
Determined to acquire a college degree after leaving the service, I enrolled at a state university where I studied English, literature, and several writing styles including: novel, short story, and playwriting. In search of better job opportunities, I left the cool, rainy, fantasy lands of Washington State to end up in the rolling hills of Virginia to work for a small newspaper in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley. There, I bought a little home and settled down with my family. While working, I did manage to write a little here and there, but not as much as I would have liked, finishing a spec script, some poems, and such. One day I received a pair of headphones. So, after putting them on and selecting Fleetwood Mac’s "Rhiannon", I found myself furiously jotting down some ideas for a new book that would carry on the story I had written aboard those mighty warships many years earlier…and thus began the "Vision Dream Series" in earnest.
This book was very well written, for once I wasn't laughing at funny typos. (Like shiny iron pants hung in the kitchen... I rolled on the floor with that one...) Despite the hard names in the book, the author managed to remember what he named everyone and everything, including how to spell them all. Kudos, Robert Storey. You did what Morgan Rice could not.
In "Flight of the Vessel," Robert Storey weaves the beginning of what seeks to become a powerful many-book saga about an unlikely heroine, who discovers hidden power and strength within.
When invading armies force Angelterra out of her home and country, the princess has to take leadership over the people of her kingdom. With her parents gone, her home destroyed, and her safety ever in danger, she assumes the title of Princess Regent, becoming more than simply a young woman on the run. She now has a purpose ... a mission. Angelterra finds help with friends and allies, particularly her lady in waiting, who vows to be the princess's knight -- the first lady knight in several hundred years. But Angelterra also has a secret she hasn't told anyone. She has magic on her side.
With surprises around every turn and characters to root for, this page turner leaves the reader eager for the next chapter in the series.
More than a novel about girl power, "Flight of the Vessel" is about nations coming together against a common enemy.
The flight of vessel is a fantasy and magical adventure, with a perfect blend of women power and leadership. A page turning journey of Princess Angelterra of Palzintine and her lady knight Jeela her protector who flee to reunite her countryman who are refugees in neighbourhood Kingdom. A perfect blend of magical fantasy written by Robert C Storey with great characters who keep the readers hooked through out the fascinating journey. This is a brave attempt by Angelterra, who on her nineteenth birthday, finds her peaceful existence shattered by an invading horde. During their desperate flight, are continually hunted by monstrous beasts and dark agents of Shutharja. Angelterra and Jeela must find away to reunite with the rest of their countryman. Great use of magic, captivating read with exciting twists keeps the readers enthralled. I enjoyed reading it. This book is for anyone who enjoys fantasy and adventures. A well written epic fantasy deserving a five star review. Inderjit kaur.
A gripping, all-action fantasy with monsters, magic & great characters! I loved it! FIVE STARS!
What a great story! ‘Flight of the Vessel’ is an enthralling read; I simply couldn’t put it down! There are so many things I love about this book:
The very first sentence plunges you bang into the centre of the drama when Princess Angelterra and her party are galloping along on horseback, fleeing for their lives. As the chapters unfold, there's just enough backstory provided for you to get a sense of the princess’s world and of the evil power of Shutharja, the mighty sorcerer who is destroying it, before the roller-coaster action sweeps you along with it again.
Grief-stricken though she is at the tragic loss of her parents, teenage Angelterra has to assume the mantle of leader of her people, which she does with endearing courage – the scene where she stands on the castle’s curtain wall, buffeted by storm winds and in visible defiance of the enemy mustering on the beach below, is one of my favourites. (Telling you the others would be spoilers, but you’ll know them when you reach them!) As Angelterra grows into her new role, she discovers a flair for resolving potentially disastrous clashes between her allies, and a hitherto secret magical ability that may prove crucial in her quest to reunite her people and free her homeland from the dominion of Evil. At the same time as all this, though, she still thinks and behaves like a credible, mischievous nineteen-year-old: she feels fear, embarrassment, passion, anger, envy and jealousy. I smiled at the way she teases her childhood sweetheart, Dareldin, and cheered at the graphic gesture she gives in reply to the leering enemy commander, Lord Gravloc’s repulsive threat. Her plucky spirit & realistic flaws soon had me caring deeply about what might befall her as the story progressed.
Angelterra’s brave band of friends and allies, each with their own vital skills to bring to her aid, are lively, engaging and resourceful characters, too: her hot-headed swordswoman, Lady Knight Jeela, and her mysterious magical decoy, Concera, whose motives are so ambiguous, are my favourites amongst them.
Robert Clifton Storey Jr. is a born fantasy writer with a great sense of humour. His world, rich in history and folklore, is underpinned by complex religious and magical systems that are brilliantly innovative and utterly convincing. He has exciting battle scenes, awesome confrontations between good and evil magic wielders, menacing portents and some really cool, monstrous creatures – just wait till you meet the dark magic dragon and the hideous ‘rex verka’!
If you fancy a fast paced, nail-biting fantasy with great characters, a fearsome sorcerer adversary and unforeseen twists and turns along the way that will keep you guessing until the very last page, and beyond, then Flight of the Vessel is the book for you! I thoroughly recommend it.
This was really a great story with well described people and events. Many surprises along the way, many twist and turns. Loved the magic aspect. This book was so good I couldn't wait to pick it back up! I will have to get the next one to see what happens next. One heck of a cliff hanger! Extremely well written and descriptive in every sense. Any fantasy lover out there must get this series take my word for it!
Had this on TBR list for ages and finally thought to give it a go.It was an ok Fantasy book with good characters and settings.Centering around Angel and her flight to save her Kingdom.
The writing was good for a YA book and really entertaining.