Deception Peak

Quote: "Ian bowed his head and nodded, stepping off the boulder. The seriousness of their situation gnawed at his bones. His stomach twisted into knots. They could die out here; stranded in a world they knew nothing about.""


Summary: Remember when I interviewed the author of Deception Peak, Dianne Gardner? If not, then click here.

Teenage Ian Wilson follows his father through a portal into a deceptively beautiful Realm, where horses run free, the wind sings prophetic melodies, and their computer avatars come to life. 

But separation from his father puts Ian in peril as he’s abducted by a tribe of dragon worshipers and forced to find his courage. 

As he struggles for his freedom and embarks on a perilous search for his father, Ian meets the true peacekeepers of the Realm and learns of a greater purpose for his being in there. (Taken from here.) 

Violence/Romance: Both are present, but nothing is that graphic. Various characters have relationships with the opposite gender, some more intense than others--but nothing gets out of hand. There is a dragon which shoots fireballs. Characters get injured, occasionally severely. They also get knocked out on a  few occasions. The dragon creates visions to lead people astray, and those scenes can be a little spooky (at least to me). 

Spirituality: Ian stays with a group of people called the Meneks for a while, who worship the dragon and call it their master. If the dragon sets their town on fire, they determine whom it is mad at and in turn either keeps a close eye on them or banishes them. They need to fight to keep it content with them.  Whereas, the Kaemperns (people rejected by the Meneks) believe in a god that typically takes the physical form of wind, and they also pray. There are prophesies in the book, as well as a voice that randomly appears and sings songs. 

What I liked: I love how, in this book, the main relationship is that of Ian and his father. So often, positive, real, and admiral parent-child relationships are forgotten in books. Sure, they both have their issues, but they love each other despite them. There is forgiveness, and people try to regain trust. Serious    efforts are made to maintain relationships, and characters are consistently persevering towards their goals. There is also a lot of inner meaning. 

What I didn't like: ? 


Rating:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 


~Elizabeth

The Adventures of Lein ~ Part 4

The response is c) Visit the Dragon pens.


Lein walked from the dining room to the Dragon Pens. Just before she had been told to take the tray to the Dragon Master, she had overheard Marta tell one of the stable hands that a carriage was coming in. Since the Pens were right next to the stable, where she could meet whomever was arriving. When she got to the Pens, she almost jumped out of her skin as a hue tail nearly missed taking off her head. Lein carefully walked over to the door of the stables just as the carriage arrived. Marta, preparing to greet the guests, pushed Lein closer to the door of the carriage. The guilded door opened. A fat man stepped out. Marta curtsied.
   "My Lord Naylor, greetings and welcome to the hall of the Dragon Master."
   "Yes, yes, where is Rorak? I must see him now woman! Take me to him."
Marta stuttered for a second and then lead him away with a red face and a "T-this way, sir." Lein giggled. Marta was a stickler for protocol. Lein already knew this after only three hours of service. All of a sudden, a young man walked out of the carriage. He was tall and thin with brown hair. For some reason, his eyes were closed as he stepped out. He was muttering something about gears and wires. Lein gave him a wary glance that he missed because his eyes were closed. Lein saw that he had blue eyes when he tripped and almost fell into a stall. He righted himself and looked straight at Lein. Her heart beat one painful beat as he looked at her.
   "Who are you?" He asked.
   " What does it matter to you?" Lein asked.
   "Just wondering. It is customary to learn the name of a pretty girl."
Lein blushed.
   "Well, it doesnt matter. Good bye."
The boy grinned. "Well, my name is Mark. If you wanted to know."
Lein huffed and walked away. As she sat outside the kitchen, she heard the two assistant cooks gossiping about the visiters.
   "Did you hear about the guests? That there is the Lore Master. Thats some title!"
   "And that young man with him?"
   "Thats his apprentice. Now, he'd make you a fine catch. Power and looks!"
They laughed and Lein almost walked into a post. He was the Lore Apprentice?! She had been so rude! But he had been annoying, right?


                        What should she do?

a)Go apologise to Mark
b)Run to her room and refuse to come out
c)Find a rotting fish to give as a gift
d)Slap Mark the next time she runs into him