I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
An ancient evil of the past threatens the United Kingdom as a hero and his brothers try to forge a new path into the future that blend magic and technology, and in the process bonds their clans with the dragons in a new world in author J. Traveler and T Bear Pelton’s “Forged in Water and Fire:”, the fourth book in the Falconcrest Chronicles Series.
The Synopsis
An ancient evil, left over from the Great War, threatens the five United Kingdoms. Lucan, his clan and family are called upon to stop the disaster while Francis and Eliza are trying their best to get married, David and Nightsong are having a baby and the dragons are forming unlikely alliances. Mage Hadrian is predicting some really odd things about the family heirs to be born. In response to the threat of backlash from the ancient warheads and radiation mutations, all the coastal towns are evacuated in anticipation of storm surges and tsunamis expected. In the midst of all the chaos, Lucan and his brothers try to reconcile what they have been taught of their past with what they discover in the Dead lands. Helped by their grandmother KayaMeika, the sorceress who lives with the dragonfolk, aided by a beautiful assassin tech from a faraway country where there is no magik, assisted by Hadrian and the wizards, they battle the remnants of the old times. In joining their magik with the technology of the new country, they unlock the secrets kept from them from centuries ago. New bonds are formed, old rivalries simmer as dragon and clansmen alike work to survive together in a new world forged of water and fire…and love.
The Review
This was a truly engaging and mesmerizing fantasy read. As a newcomer to the series, I was worried that I would be lost and the characters too far engaged in their roles to really invite new readers in. However, the authors have masterfully crafted this narrative to allow both new and old readers alike to enjoy it. From the list of characters, locations, and affiliations listed at the beginning of the novel to the inviting nature of the opening chapters that both jumped right into the character engagement and gave readers a glimpse into the inner-workings of this world, this novel really did a great job of being inviting and entertaining all at once.
What really stood out as a new reader to me was the way the authors melded elements of sci-fi into the larger fantasy world and mythos that the authors have already established. Exploring the concept of blending magic and science into one working society was not only imaginative and creative but spoke to me on a personal level as a firm believer in paranormal exploration in all fields. Embracing the past and the future could make for a much bolder and exciting new present, and the authors really captured this theme and tone perfectly in their storytelling.
The Verdict
An impactful, mythological, and thrilling new fantasy chapter in a fantastic new fantasy series, authors J. Traveler and T Bear Pelton’s “Forged in Water and Fire” is a must-read fantasy series. The fourth book in a fun and exciting new fantasy world, the story does a great job of exploring the tumultuous yet fruitful path to finding alliances and peace amongst former enemies, and facing the past can lead to a much brighter future. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She is active in her home church; enjoys having theological disputes with her friends, loves to cook a big meal and then takes a walk, discussing the ideas of what her friends/family are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 45 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She is a cancer survivor. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.
Her co-author of the fantasy series is her grandson T-bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a student of Kenpo, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.
Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!
