Awakening / Lara Morgan

Awakening

category: fantasy, author:

Lara Morgan

book 1 of The Saranthium Twins
original copyright 2008

read in August 2012

Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10, well worth reading

I like the idea that "serpents"... dragons... are an intelligent race sharing a world with humans. Living within the terms of an agreement, for each race to support the other. The two races work together but do not share any common understandings.

Other than that -- Awakening is a reasonably standard fantasy-with-dragons. I like the characters, enough to want to read more. The story itself hangs together well, with some excitement but little suspense. Which is fine by me: I rather like a book where characters have a fair chance of living past the end.

In reading the book I went through two distinct phases -- and it may well have been the book, rather than me. First, it is a developing story of two people -- the Twins -- and their journeys from an "ordinary" life to the life of fantasy hero and heroine. An interesting world, with several distinct (human) cultures.

Half way through the book I slowly began to feel the effect of the trilogy...

The book -- or my reading -- shifted, from, Will they win? to, How far will this book get them on the way to winning? That is, the feeling grew that this really is, book one of a trilogy. Not just the first book of a series of three.

Sure enough, the book ends with cliff-hangers.

Yet there is also a satisfactory ending!

The main characters are scattered, some are unaccounted for. Yet the ones that we care about, are safe. Clearly, that is safe -- for now. Which is what I like to see.

This book is the opening scene of a war. It ends, with the heroes resting between battles. Yes, there will be more. But for now, we are safe at home. With some mysteries resolved and others yet to settle. No conclusion, but a satisfying point at which to take a break.

Okay, I'd rather have a complete story. But Awakening is good enough to read on its own. And good enough to have me hoping to read the next instalment...

With an added bonus: The author is from Western Australia, from my part of the world!

There are several good fantasy writers in Australia. Morgan is now one of them. Enjoyable, imaginative, entertaining. If the next book is as good, I will be happy. If it is even better -- then I will be very, very pleased!  And then...

I searched the web... It would seem that book 2 is published but no longer available in Australia. Book 3 is still being written -- in German, for the German market!  Ah well, it's tough in the world of writing.

Good luck, hope it all works out -- and I'll keep an eye out for a copy of Saranthium 2 and -- eventually -- three.

..o0o..

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