MY REVIEW:
I have read and enjoyed novels by a certain well-known Christian author since approximately 1990 and have learned that I can expect an excellent story that is well-written and well researched each time I pick up one of his books. It doesn’t matter if it is contemporary fiction, historical fiction from various areas of the world, Biblical fiction, political fiction, fiction written with another well-known author, etc. It is all quality fiction and I never question whether I should invest in his latest offering.
This particular author has just released the first volume of a new epic fantasy series under the pen name of Thomas Locke that targets the general market. Although the reader will not find an overtly “Christian” message in this novel, it is a classic story of the battle between good and evil and should appeal to those who have enjoyed tales from C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. Those who have a problem with magic, wizards, and elves, etc. should probably skip this one but fantasy lovers may find themselves with a new favorite to add to their collection.
“Emissary” features two primary characters, Hyam and Joelle, two young people who have never really fit in with the rest of the world that surrounds them. Separately they each have been endowed with unique gifts that have equipped them for the destiny that draws them together in order to fight the malevolent forces that threaten the entire realm. Alone the challenge is impossible but together, along with others called to risk everything for their kingdom, there might just be a slim chance to overcome the evil that draws near.
This novel is written in a manner that drew me into the action almost immediately. Hyam and Joelle were characters that I could care about. Neither of them were perfect, in fact the opposite was true. Both had been sorely mistreated in the Long Halls where they were apprenticed and each found it difficult to trust others. Nevertheless they did not shrink from the call on their lives but bravely marched forward to even the possibility of death.
I find myself lacking in the eloquence needed to adequately describe “Emissary”. It encompasses the best of classic fantasy with beautifully descriptive passages, gallant characters, and a cause to die for. What more can a reader ask?
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Hyam is a likeable lad who will make a fine farmer someday. But he carries a burden few can fathom. As his mother slips toward death, she implores him to return to Long Hall, where he spent five years as an apprentice. It was there that Hyam’s extraordinary capacity for mastering languages came to light–and soon cast him into the shadows of suspicion. How could any human learn the forbidden tongues with such ease? When Hyam dares to seek out the Mistress of the Sorceries, her revelation tears his world asunder.
He has no choice but to set out on the foreboding path–which beckons him to either his destiny or his doom. An encounter with an enchanting stranger reminds him that he is part hero and part captive. As Hyam struggles to interpret the omens and symbols, he is swept up by a great current of possibilities–and dangers.
With lyrical prose that unveils a richly imaginative world, Thomas Locke takes readers on a journey into the Realm. There he invites them to awaken their sense of wonder. This cracking adventure moves like a contemporary thriller but harkens back to the enduring genre of classic fantasy.
Read an excerpt from Emissary HERE.
Purchase Emissary HERE.
Free ebook short excerpt from Emissary – The Captive.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Thomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas’s screenplay adaption of Emissary is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
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