Oriana Oakleigh and the Primrose Path

by William Ricketts Cooper

In the quiet of Wessex's Oakleigh Manor, young Oriana knows nothing of the troubles plaguing far-off Faërie, but her sheltered existence is fast coming to an end. Possessed of burgeoning powers she can neither control nor comprehend, Oriana finds herself taken to worlds beyond her own where she comes face-to-face with the dreaded Lych-priest of Malgorod!Along the way, Oriana is met by some difficult decisions and unexpected peril and, in the end, is asked to sacrifice the one thing she desires most. In her choices reside not only the fate of her world but that of the Faërie realm too! Will Oriana Oakleigh be able to stave off the Lych-priest and accept her role in the future of Faërie, or will she be devoured by the Primrose Path?Join new author W. R. Cooper in Oriana Oakleigh and the Primrose Path the first book in this epic historical fantasy series set against a backdrop of war-torn Saxon England. At once thrilling, humourous, and provocative, the magic, mythology, and threat of spreading industrial despair found within the pages of Oriana Oakleigh and the Primrose Path will throw you into the action and keep you on the edge of your seat, hoping beyond hope that Oriana will find the answers needed to save the imprisoned Faërie queen before it's too late.

372 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published August 17, 2010

About the author

William Ricketts Cooper(1843–1878) was a British writer. He was originally a designer of carpet patterns, then a London missionary, and finally a student of Egyptian antiquities, to which the rest of his short life was devoted. He was one of the principal originators in 1870 of the Society of Biblical Archæology, of which he was the active and zealous secretary from its foundation, until delicate health compelled him in 1876 to retire to Ventnor, where he died two years later. [from Wikipedia]

Reviews

[Trevor Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah! Man, this took me a while to finish! But thankfully, Oriana Oakleigh And The Primrose Path was worth it. The writing was fantastic, the character development was great, and the premise was very original and creative. It might've made me a fan of fantasy now!

Plot Synopsis: Oriana Oakleigh used to live a normal life in the lovely castle of Oakleigh Manor. Aside from her father's sudden disappearance, Oriana's life has been rather simplistic...until she overhears a strange conversation...and when she starts to notice strange things about a tapestry in her bedroom. These strange occurrences will lead the young Oriana on an unbelievable, fantastic, dangerous journey. What will she discover about herself-and will her life ever be the same again?

This is only the first part of a series, and it's a great opening book. It sets up all the characters and explains the concepts of the world in coherent detail. The character development, especially that of Oriana's character, is very good. Oriana changes from sheltered royalty to courageous, strong-willed warrior in a very realistic, fluent manner. Cooper's writing style is also great, and the descriptions of the various locations and characters are vivid and interesting. It makes you feel like you're right there in the story. If you're a fan of fantasy books, this is one book you should check out.

Pros: The descriptive writing, the character development (especially Oriana's), and the original plot.
Cons: None!

[John]

I'm biased - my cousin is the author. :)