The Glass Word by Kai Meyer (Dark Reflections Trilogy: Book 3)

When they emerge from Hell, Merle, her friend Junipa who has mirrors for eyes, and Vermithrax the flying stone lion find themselves in Egypt. Of course the Flowing Queen is with them as well, since Merle swallowed her back in Venice. There is something very wrong in Egypt--it is freezing cold, and everything is covered in snow. Winter is here, looking for his lost love, Summer. And another creature is here as well--Seth, the highest of the Horus priests. Betrayed by the pharaoh and his sphinx henchmen, Seth is seeking revenge. Together they travel to the Iron Eye, the vast fortress of the sphinxes.But what does the Flowing Queen want Merle to do there?

Meanwhile Serafin, the master thief, the beautiful sphinx Lalapeya, and Eft, the mermaid, are also headed for Egypt. They are traveling underwater, in a submarine piloted by pirates. Serafin is not sure what they can do to the fight the pharaoh, but he knows surrender is not an option. Egypt has captured and enslaved his beloved Venice, and he and the others must fight the empire no matter what the cost. But the final battle will not be one that Serafin has even imagined--and the cost will be high indeed.

*Blurb source* Simon and Schuster

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| Author: Kai Meyer
| Genre: YA Fantasy
| Age Range: 12 and up
| ISBN-10: 0689877927
| ISBN-13: 9780689877926
| Content: Alternate Reality, Mermaids, Mythology
| Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books; Reprint edition (October 2008)
|  Elizabeth D. Crawford (Translator)
| Cover Artist: Russell Gordon
| Paperback: 288 pages
| Source: Personal copy
| Rating: 3 Stars






♥ Mini Review ♥

Do you ever get the impression that a trilogy was never originally meant to be a trilogy? That is exactly the impression I get with Dark Reflections. I can't help but imagine a talented author submitted a good but heavy manuscript and a well meaning editor said it was too big to market as YA. The result was a padded story stretched over three fairly short books but so full of fluff it almost ruins the whole thing. Almost. Fortunately I stuck with it and in this third book discovered a good story lay just under the surface.

Prophecy of the Kings by David Burrows (Series Summary)

♥ Mini Review ♥

Prophecy of Kings follows two timeless traditions. The first is that of traditional fantasy. Demons, dragons, wizards, sorcerers, heroes and dwarves all play starring roles in this tale. It also follows a time honored tradition of storytelling such as you might imagine taking place during the days when history was passed down orally. Like those tales, this story is about good versus evil, right versus wrong, and perseverance against impossible odds. In other words it is a good old fashioned fantasy adventure.

Legacy of the Eldric by David Burrows (Prophecy of the Kings: Book 1)

In the distant past an all but forgotten race called the Eldric fought against the demon hordes in the legendary Krell Wars. In a close fought battle the Eldric became victorious and banished the soul of the Demon Horde's leader, a sorcerer of immense power known as Drachar. After the battle the Eldric disappeared from the land, taking with them the knowledge of sorcery lest another rise up and miss-use the power and they, along with the war and knowledge of demons faded into myth and legend.

Recent times have given rise to a prophecy that says the shade of Drachar will rise again and with him the demon hordes.

Kaplyn is a prince of the realm who is desperate to escape the stifling confines of the Royal Court and sneaks away for an adventure. Kaplyn manages to find trouble soon enough in the form of bandits who have captured a stranger to the land. After rescuing this stranger, who goes by the name of Lars and has been shipwrecked on this land after a storm, they soon encounter Vastra, a sorcerer who enlists their help to find a relic of the long dead Eldric. All three soon become embroiled in a quest to discover just what happened to the Legendary Eldric and if possible, bring them back.

*Blurb source* David Burrows

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| Source: Gift/No Review Requested
| Author: David Burrows
| Genre: Epic / High Fantasy
| ISBN-10: 1450506801
| ISBN-13: 9781450506809
| Content: Demons, Sorcery, Heroes
| Publisher: CreateSpace (February 2, 2010)
| Cover Art and Design: Phillip McDonnall
| Paperback: 170 pages
| Sample Chapters
| Rating: 3 Stars

♥ Mini Review ♥

What do you get when you combine a bored Prince, a mysterious stranger, a secretive sorcerer, a vanished mythical race of magic users, marauding demons and a prophecy? Why an adventure of course! Add in the promise that there will be dragons and you also get an intrigued Mulluane.

Dragon Rider by David Burrows (Prophecy of the Kings: Book 2)

Kaplyn awakens in a cavern and at first his memory seems to be playing tricks on him. Dragons haunt his dreams and yet dragons do not exist. Whenever he sleeps he dreams that dragons are hunting him and only a thin veil separates him from them. Terror stalks his nightmares and fear walks hand in hand in his waking life. All is not as it seems. He, Lars and Lomar have survived their underground sojourn, but something is not right. Once allies, Thrace and Allund seem to be on the precipice of war. A war that strikingly has all the hall marks of Trosgarth, the ancient enemy. Drachar too seems implicated. Is the Prophecy coming to pass and is a Second Krell War imminent? Disaster seems to be about to strike, for the Eldric have gone and with them the only means to fight the demons. A war is coming. A war like no other.
*Blurb source* David Burrows

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| Source: Gift/No Review Requested
| Author: David Burrows
| Genre: Epic / High Fantasy
| ISBN-10: 145050681X
| ISBN-13: 9781450506816
| Content: Demons, Sorcery, Heroes, Dragons
| Publisher: Createspace; second edition (February 2, 2010)
| Cover Art and Design: Phillip McDonnall
| Paperback: 176 pages
| Read the Prologue
| Rating: 4 Stars






♥ Mini Review ♥

There is an ancient tradition of storytelling with stories being handed down from generation to generation. Way before the written word there were storytellers mesmerizing audiences with vivid tales of great deeds and mysterious happenings. This has the feel of one of those ancient tales.

Forget the "show don't tell" rules for writing. Forget emotionally engaging with the characters. Instead imagine yourself sitting around a bonfire with a group of your friends, relaxing and listening to a really great story. That is how it feels to read this book.