Isle of Winds | James Fahy

Happy Tuesday friends,

Sorry I’ve been quiet lately. It’s been a busy week and I’ve been focusing my attention elsewhere.

Today, I have a new review to share with you. 🙂

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BLURB

Robin Fellows lives with his grandmother and lives what appears to be a rather ordinary life for a normal twelve year old boy.

But when Robin’s Gran dies, quite suddenly and a bit mysteriously, his world is turned upside down. A long lost relative comes out of the woodwork and whisks him away to a mysterious new home, Erlking Hall, a quiet estate in the solitary countryside of Lancashire.

Suddenly Robin must adjust to his new reality. But reality is no longer what he thought it was…

Erlking has many secrets – as do his newly found Great-Aunt Irene and her servants. After a strange encounter on the train and meeting a cold, eerie man on the platform, Robin begins to notice odd happenings at Erlking.

There is more than meets the eye to this old, rambling mansion.
Little does he know that there is more than meets the eye to himself.

Robin is the world’s last Changeling. He is descended from a mystic race of Fae-people, whose homeland, the Netherworlde, is caught in the throes of a terrible civil war.

Not only this, but in this new world there is a magical force that has infiltrated the human realm.

Before he can wrench power from the malevolent hands of the Netherworlde’s fearsome tyrant leader, Lady Eris, he must first search for the truth about himself and the ethereal Towers of Arcania.

The first instalment of The Changeling Series, Isle of Winds is an engrossing tale written in the traditions of high fantasy story-telling while carving out a magical new realm. It is perfect for fans of The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series.

REVIEW

Since I can remember, fantasy has been my genre of choice. I grew up on the magic and whimsy of Tolkien, Rowling, Lewis & Pullman. If I were a child now, I would equally have delighted in this bookish treasure.

But don’t get me wrong. As an adult, I have adored it. I just feel bad that my past self never got to grow up with the magic that this book brought to life for me during its reading.

As a reader, there are always two aspects of a novel that I need to be completely convinced of: memorable characters and convincing worldbuilding. Of course, the plot has to be strong too, but if it is missing either of those features, there’s a good chance that the plot will not be as gripping or engaging as it could be. Fortunately, Isle of Winds excels on all counts.

We are introduced to our protagonist, Robin Fellows, in a moment when life is catapulted from the familiar. His grandmother is dead and he is being forced to relocate to a manor to live with an aunt he never knew existed. Of course, the thing he doesn’t realize quite yet is that he’s about to discover the truth of his heritage and stumble into a fantastic adventure that most kids dream about.

From the get-go, Robin is a likeable boy with a natural curiosity and a good spirit. As with every good story, he’s only as strong as his supporting cast, and they are in anything but short supply. From the formidable Aunt Irene, to the enigmatic Karya, these characters blend into Robin’s life as he comes to uncover the Fae world he was born into.

And what a world it is! The mythology that layers it is superb and leaps off the pages with such vividness that you feel ready to get lost in yourself. The manor where Aunt Irene lives, Erlking Hall, is a beautifully imagined place with passages and secret doors to rival Hogwarts. The Netherworlde is crafted with equal attention, a parallel land existing with the world we know. The magic system of Arcania is full of its own mystery, while the mystical folk that inhabit the world take inspiration from Greek and Roman mythology! Have I conveyed the brilliance of it yet?

CONCLUSION

A truly remarkable debut to a series, Isle of Winds is full of twists and turns and provides an adventure that is engaging, gripping and captivating. A magical ride you don’t want to miss.

RATING

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If you want to discover the magic of Isle of Winds for yourself… AMAZON

May inspiration flow like ink upon your quill,

Faith