★★★★★ Best Sword and Sorcery Series 2019 ★★★★★
A TALE OF SACRIFICE, LOVE, AND DEEPEST MAGIC.
Being born from a sorceress is supposed to be a blessing not a curse – and The Fates have instructed the daughter of Mawi to change the course of history.
Banished to Tarragon Island to hone her craft, Sansara is the chosen one – and the challenges are intense. Facing dangers, isolation, and hidden … isolation, and hidden magic, the struggle can be too much for a woman on her own. So when the mysterious Raoul is shipwrecked on her island, she is torn between their strong connection and the sense that something feels very wrong.
But the Fates are watching closely, because Sansara has the future of the kingdom on her shoulders.
In the end, with everything against her, can she fulfil the prophecy?
Excerpt:
‘Whatever you read now you must believe. I will tell you things that seem impossible and highly improbable. But remember that we live in a world where everything is decided by what we can see and what we touch. If we can’t see it or we don’t understand it, then we perceive that it doesn’t exist. But it does exist, and what may seem impossible here, is in fact highly probable in another world.’
Magical ★★★★★
With stories as perennial and universally beloved as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings – but also unlike anything but themselves – this book is perfect for those new to the world of enchanting magic: for to know the Kingdom of Durundal is to love it.
★★★★★ The series continues in Sorceress of the Sapphire ★★★★★
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Epic Revelations & Resolutions Seal Durundal’s Fate!
Overview: Sansara, the daughter of a powerful sorceress, is the Chosen One. Banished to a secluded island to hone her craft, she finds the challenges intense, but her life becomes even more complicated when a mysterious stranger shipwrecks on her island. After receiving a sudden revelation, Sansara has the future of the entire kingdom on her shoulders, but her strong connection to Raoul my put everything in jeopardy.
With highly descriptive passages that elicit poetic blissfulness, compelling and engaging characters, and surprising plot twists that will leave readers speechless, Author S.E. Turner pens an enchanting, exciting, enriching, and invigorating read in “A Moth in the Flames”, her fifth chapter in her epic Kingdom of Durundal Series.
Through broadening the main plotline and picking up on the mythology of the Durundal series, Author Turner delights her fans and readers with the introduction of a set of enchanting yet potentially dangerous characters who all have direct ties to the kingdom’s throne. As these mythical and magical backstories emerge and blend together within the primary plotline, the entire novel series experiences epic revelations and resolutions that affect both royals and commoners.
“A Moth in the Flames” is a riveting read that may be enjoyed as a stand-alone book. To understand the critical relationships in this novel and obtain the best overall view of the entire novel series, however, I recommend this novel be read sequentially within the series as the author intended. Fans of ancient historical fiction, adult fairytales, and gaslight fantasy will greatly appreciate this truly unforgettable read. I highly recommend this novel for ages 13 and up since it does contain some adult situations and moderate violence.
Finding out that there was a Book 5 in the Kingdom of Durundal series was a wonderful surprise, as I loved each of the books and wanted more from the characters I had grown to admire. A Moth in the Flames was a captivating and fitting tying up of loose ends and so much more. The writing style is lush and provocative as always while a pervading sense of justice finally being done gives the reader satisfaction. Characters lost to the Emperor’s greed and the General’s evil are remembered, honored and mourned. Characters we thought to be without redeeming qualities are saved and transformed. Sansara and other new characters are intriguing and surprise us with answers to old questions we didn’t know we had. Imagination is key, as is having faith and trust, and believing that anything can happen. My favorite part of the story was when the orb started to swirl and show images from the past. It was a great refresher for my sometimes forgetful brain and I loved coming full circle with Ajeya and Cornelius’s story. I highly recommend the whole series.
I’ve loved this series from start to finish. Each story is unique unto itself, but also intertwines with the others, just like our own lives are our unique story, but could not be told without telling the stories of others. The descriptions take your breath away with their loveliness, and the characters get your emotions boiling with hatred or love. You may think you know all their is to know about this kingdom, but you’ll find a few more surprises in store for you in this final installment of this part of the story.
I love this quote that’s repeated in the story. It says so much about life in general. You have to believe…
“But remember that we live in a world where everything is decided by what we can see and what we touch. If we can’t see it or we don’t understand it, then we perceive that it doesn’t exist. But it does exist, and what may seem impossible here, is in fact highly probable in another world.”
Welcome my dearest Book Dragons to another Saturday’s Child. I know many of you are in the midst of holiday preparations and all the buzz and excitement that goes along with them, but allow yourself to sit a wee spell and relax over a bowl of hot punch and admire a most wonderful Gem. This Gem is oval in form, see how it shimmers and glows in the light, even the dimmest light allows it to cast off radiance from within. It bursts forth occasionally with a bright blue pulse. It’s magic is clearly great indeed. It doesn’t depend on what One can see or touch or taste, but rather it gathers it’s energy from what One believes can happen and what the world around us is capable of. It’s delightful! This is ‘A Moth in the Flames’ by Gem Maker S. E. Turner.
S.E. Turner has built an amazing world with her series “The Kingdom of Durundal”, and this book is actually the last, book five. I do so wish I had had the opportunity to read all five in order. This book captivated me from the beginning. When one of the first sentences states the dragons were watching Cornelius, how could it not!?
Cornelius is met by a beautiful human like being, who offers him a deal of sorts. He will help her father a daughter in order to fulfill a prophecy and in return, no man will ever kill him. Immortality in exchange for a night with a beautiful being? Parent’s please note, there was nothing graphic, nor untoward here.
The daughter,Sansara (isn’t that a beautiful name), is the child who results and will be the prophesied child. She is beautiful and gentle, with green eyes and dark hair. She loves the place where she lives with her mother and sisters. When she is sixteen she is sent to live on an island alone to fulfill her destiny. This is where the story unfolds and keeps going, taking us on a magical ride reminiscent of Lewis or Tolkien but on a less grand, but no less interesting scale.
I loved this book. The characters are interesting, well written, and magical without being completely over the top. They can be related to. The world itself comes complete with map so we don’t get lost, discombobulated or lose interest because there is too much jumping around and the creatures, adventures and interaction is marvelous.
I would not suggest this for children younger than 11 or 12 and when the kids are finished with it, sit right down with a jug of hot chocolate, or a pot of tea and settle in to read it yourself, just remember, it’s their Christmas or Hanukkah gift so you have to GIVE IT BACK…lol.. better yet.. order a copy for yourself as well.. order the whole set for the entire family, read it together! It is free on Kindle Unlimited right now and the paperback is very reasonably priced!
Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. LongwittenI received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.