Giver of Roses By: Kathleen Morgan Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Allegorical Publisher: Revell Publication Year: 2005 Series: Guardians of Gadiel, Book 1 My Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars Synopsis:
Vartan, Crown Prince of Astar, faces an invincible adversary and heartbreaking despair as he strives to protect the land of Gadiel from the enemy who would destroy his people and lay siege to their souls. Wounded, blinded, and betrayed in battle, Vartan realizes his true battle has just begun. Danae, a captive Hylean girl who saves his life, holds the key to crushing their relentless enemy. Yet only when they join forces can they summon the courage - and enduring love - to achieve a purpose greater than either has ever imagined. Together, as they face the desert folk, dragonmaids, and many physical and spiritual trials, they learn to understand truth and treachery - and to rely on God alone to help them save Gadiel. Giver of Roses is an enchanting tale of a good man called to a heroic destiny, a woman whose life entwines with his, and a land teetering on the brink of an evil conquest. Only a holy quest can save them now. ~Taken from the back of the book~ If you would like more information on Giver of Roses here is Kathleen Moragn's page for this book: http://www.kathleenmorgan.com/html/fantasyfiction.html My Thoughts: *Sigh* This book is amazing. I usually don't like to read books that are over 400 pages as they just take so long to read, but this book is worth it. I read this book probably back when I was in high school and loved it, so I decided to re-read it. I really enjoyed re-reading this book. The plot is almost all action packed; while it does have some down scenes, they are needed to balance all the action. If you have read some of my other posts, you will know that I am a first-line girl. I love first lines, especially when they hook me so completely. I'll let you decide if this first line is a hook or not; I couldn't decide, and since I knew what was coming, I didn't really need to be hooked. "A frigid wind blew down from the heavens, impaling the bleak winter's day with piercing needles of ice." (Giver of Roses, p. 5) Thoughts? The characters, oh, the characters. The character development for Vartan is so encouraging. He struggles so deeply throughout the book going from one hardship to the next, but the person he becomes by the end of the book is amazing. Danae is the other main character who this book focuses on. Her character is beautiful and, while she doesn't grow as much as Vartan, her growth is deep and challenging. The author also threw in a couple minor characters and suddenly there was a love tangle. Another reason I really enjoy this book is the allegory side of it. Throughout the book, you can see close comparisons to the Bible. From the scars Vartan receives in battle to the intense spiritual darkness that surrounds the villain that is counteracted by the radiant light surrounding those who oppose him. This is a story of surrender and following not your own will, but the will of God and honoring him in all you do. One last point; that I just need to fangirl over here for a minute - there are DRAGONS in this book! That's right, dragons! If this doesn't seal the deal, I don't know what will. *End fangirling* *Content Advisory* Spoiler alert - Highlight the text to read it: Vartan's family all dies within the first few chapters - nothing is explicit, but some of the deaths were rather violent. The villain takes women to bed a few times throughout the book, but again nothing explicit is talked about. Also, he tells one of the women she is pregnant with his child. (Seriously, he is truly evil and the author did a good job making him completely deplorable.) There is some passionate kissing, but it never goes further than a kiss. * Recommend? The only thing stopping me from highly, highly recommending this book is Kathleen Morgan has yet to release book 2. As you can tell from my thoughts, I really enjoyed this book, but when you get to the end there is just enough of an unknown to leave you guessing and wanted to know what happens. And as for me, I just have to know what happens to Vartan and Danae! So, I end with this: Read at your own risk! If you enjoy fantasy or allegories this is a beautiful example of both. Let me know if you would chance reading this even though the second book isn't out yet! Cheers, Rebecca
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Welcome!My name is Rebecca and this blog is dedicated to my thoughts and opinions of the books I read. I hope you enjoy reading through my reviews. And hopefully you will find a good one to get lost in! Archives
November 2019
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