Questor by L. S. Gibson

October 9, 2013 By 6 Comments

QUESTOR
Questor by L. S. Gibson
Publisher: Amber Quill Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (347 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

The spaceship, Questor, is caught in an unknown phenomenon that results in the vessel being transported far from home. Desperately low on supplies, the crew discovers a solar system with two inhabited worlds where they hope to find assistance. Captain Sullivan visits the first world, Midea, while sending a small expedition to the second planet, Rhiava. When Jon and Manny try to land on Rhiava, however, they discover a strange energy field encircling the planet, which causes their vessel to crash.

Rescued and befriended by Rhiava natives, Jon and Manny learn the truth about the oppression of the Mideans. The Rhiava aren’t the simple people they first appear, having strong mental skills they call Gifts. Helping the Rhiava leader, a young female called Triena, to reach safety, Jon and Manny travel across the planet’s surface. During the dangerous journey, Jon and Triena become close, and she’s devastated when he’s captured and tortured by Midean forces. But Jon refuses to disclose anything he’s learned, and though he’s finally rescued with help from Triena’s Gift, he has been hardened by the ordeal.

The Questor eventually arrives at Rhiava, its crew having learned the truth about the Mideans. Knowing that if they assist the Rhiava against the Mideans and succeed, they will receive all the supplies they need, Captain Sullivan decides to help. After Triena reveals some of her people’s secrets to the Questor crew, they plan an attack on the Midean base.

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After spending three years in space, exploring their assigned quadrant but finding nothing, the Questor is finally returning home. Suddenly they find themselves in the middle of an unknown dangerous phenomenon which throws them wildly off-course, so far that it will now take twenty years at best to get home, not six months. They don’t have enough supplies and they also have damaged systems, so when they discover two inhabited worlds, they hope for assistance. Captain Sullivan puts the Questor in orbit around the first planet, so he can begin negotiations there, and meanwhile, Jon Hardaway and his best friend Manny take a two person shuttle to the other planet. Jon discovers that the second planet is heavily shielded, and he and Manny end up crashing onto the surface, barely surviving. It is then that they discover that any help they receive will come at a very high price.

L. S. Gibson has written an exciting story which captured me from the very beginning. The characters are engaging and the mystery surrounding the Mideans and the Rhiava is both complex and intense. I really like the Rhiava as a people, and it turns out that they have mastered advanced technology but then chose not to use it. As their Spirit leader Triena says, “We’re not against technology in principle. We still use certain kinds if it will benefit us, providing its use isn’t detrimental to the natural balance of our world. We use the Gift to help keep the planet in good order and the planet gives us the Gift, so to each other, we are the Treasure.”

Unfortunately, the Rhiava run up against the Mideans, a power hungry race who thinks only in terms of weapons and wealth. I found this conflict to be very realistic, and while the setting for this novel is far away, the problems of using technology without harming the environment is one we face on a daily basis. Jon and Manny quickly decide to aid the Rhiava in any way they can.

The plot takes many twists and turns, keeping the tension building until the end. And the ending is rather like the solution to a mystery novel in that all the clues are there, but I was totally taken by surprise. The dialogue is a bit stilted and the characters all talk in much the same voice, but the telepathic thoughts are very well done. There is a lot of diversity in the inhabitants of this world, and the descriptions of the planet are excellent. I really felt as if I were part of the story.

Lovers of fantasy are sure to enjoy Questor. The exciting, fast-moving pace along with the wonderful characters make this a sure-fire hit.

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The Eynan by L. S. Gibson

August 19, 2013 By 3 Comments

EYNAN
The Eynan by L. S. Gibson
Publisher: Amber Quill Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (436 Pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

When his dreams of marrying his beloved Gallia crumble to ash, Jhond of the House of Reeve knows he must leave home. Having grown up among the old legends of the time of magistry, he decides to follow the clues to find the fabled Temple of the Magi. On his journey there, he meets up with Ninian, who knows more than it first seems. Together they investigate the Temple, and Ninian helps Jhond to realize the truth of his ability. Magistry is not simply a long past myth, it exists. Ninian is a mage—and so is Jhond.

It is only the beginning of their epic journey. They make new friends and dangerous enemies, become embroiled in a war of empires, encounter old loves and learn the value of forgiveness, while all the time Jhond refines his skills as a mage.

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In times of strife when all hope seems to be lost, a leader, called the Eynan, will appear, or so say the legends. However, the time of the mages is long past and few believe that the tales are true. Jhond has always studied the old histories, learning from his grandfather, and when he came of age, he became the guardian of a secret library. When his dreams of marrying his childhood sweetheart are destroyed, Jhond is forced to leave home. With his life turned upside-down, he decides that it is time to find the Temple of the Magi. He meets Ninian, who turns out to be a mage, and Ninian is convinced that Jhond is the long sought after Eynan. Never was help needed more as the Emperor of the Illurian Empire marches across nation after nation, added by a powerful mage, killing all who opposed them. Can Jhond learn about his power in time to save his world?

L. S. Gibson has written a fantastic novel filled with fast-paced adventures and fully developed characters. The setting is a richly described world which feels very real. Jhond is a young man whose happy plans for marriage are destroyed when his father reveals a long held secret, and Jhond is understandably devastated. He has spent his life as the third son, a scholar and philosopher, and all he dreamt about was making a home and continuing to look after his family’s library. But that was never his path and he soon learns that his destiny is to be the strongest mage of all, the Eynan. I felt that Gibson did an excellent job of developing Jhond so that I really believed in him. His transformation from a quiet scholar into a powerful mage is handled skillfully and compassionately.

There are a host of characters in the novel whom I also found compelling and most of them, very likeable. I was impressed by Ninian, who comes from a mage family which has been given the task of finding the Eynan. Ninian is a strong mage in his own right, but he only wants to find and help the Eynan. He and Jhond develop a close friendship, working well together, with no sense of rivalry. And then there is the ship’s captain Amired, who never before believed in the old tales, but who joins with Jhond and Ninian to fight for his country’s freedom. I could go on and on, but this three characters alone would make this a strong book and they are not alone by any means. Even relatively minor characters, such as a few of Amired’s sailors, are portrayed with well defined and believable personas.

The plot is full of action and while the book is 436 pages long, I found that I couldn’t put it down. I resented any interruptions, and I was totally absorbed in the plot as the action never let up. If you enjoy fantasy, this is definitely a book not to be missed. It offers a rich, complex story with great characters in an interesting setting. I highly recommend it to any lovers of fantasy.

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