I love animals, and I am a vegetarian, which is why the blurb and teasers for "Call off the Search" by Natasja Hellenthal caught my interest. I’m glad I got the chance to read it because it goes farther than most fantasy novels, and it made me think and question a lot.
The story sounds straight-forward enough: Sula, the last of the Comyenti on planet Bhan, is trying to survive among people, who have slaughtered her race brutally in the past because they have the ability to change into animals – and let’s not forget their pointy ears, high intelligence and love for nature. She has promised her mother to search near and far for another of her kind and keep their race alive – but fate has something else in store for her. She meets the human Felix and falls in love with him. Just when the two have brought a beautiful daughter into the world and are happily married, Shazar finds her. He is also a Comyenti and striving to fulfill the same daring mission (as well as hiding a dark secret connected to the boy Twello and to the tragic priestess Ashanna).
What I loved most about "Call Off The Search" is the battle between two extremes, and the struggle to find a middle way that benefits all. Isn’t this what life is about? Can’t you see the Comyenti as a substitute for all the ethnic groups and minorities and people who dare to be different, and are therefore harassed and oppressed by society? And isn’t it proof that there is no one right and wrong, but a lot of partly-wrong and partly-right? The author weaves a tale full of emotions, moral lessons, personal struggle and higher values.
Sula as a heroine is a wonderful choice. She is strong and stubborn, but she doesn’t make hasty decisions or let herself depend too much on others. I loved her transition from reluctance to all lovey-dovey to realistic and emotional. The choice she has to face between her own good and the greater good, between love and attraction, between her heart and her conscience, is anything but easy. Throw in the fact that she is also drawn to the human Feline, her girlfriend, whose role in the plot is much more than the reader initially suspects.
Of course, to me is was a plus point that Sula is vegan, and that Felix and his people are portrayed as nature-loving. It was magical to read about the Mindmerge and the Heartmerge, and to watch the main protagonist transform into various animals.
Hellenthal pulls you right in with the powerful, heart-wrenching first chapter, and develops a story arc that is filled with tension and wisdom, romance and magic alike.
Be warned: This book ends on a magnificent cliffhanger and makes you want to get your fingers on the sequel "Children of the Sun".
I can’t wait to see where the author will lead the characters, because all of them are so authentic and full of potential.
The story sounds straight-forward enough: Sula, the last of the Comyenti on planet Bhan, is trying to survive among people, who have slaughtered her race brutally in the past because they have the ability to change into animals – and let’s not forget their pointy ears, high intelligence and love for nature. She has promised her mother to search near and far for another of her kind and keep their race alive – but fate has something else in store for her. She meets the human Felix and falls in love with him. Just when the two have brought a beautiful daughter into the world and are happily married, Shazar finds her. He is also a Comyenti and striving to fulfill the same daring mission (as well as hiding a dark secret connected to the boy Twello and to the tragic priestess Ashanna).
What I loved most about "Call Off The Search" is the battle between two extremes, and the struggle to find a middle way that benefits all. Isn’t this what life is about? Can’t you see the Comyenti as a substitute for all the ethnic groups and minorities and people who dare to be different, and are therefore harassed and oppressed by society? And isn’t it proof that there is no one right and wrong, but a lot of partly-wrong and partly-right? The author weaves a tale full of emotions, moral lessons, personal struggle and higher values.
Sula as a heroine is a wonderful choice. She is strong and stubborn, but she doesn’t make hasty decisions or let herself depend too much on others. I loved her transition from reluctance to all lovey-dovey to realistic and emotional. The choice she has to face between her own good and the greater good, between love and attraction, between her heart and her conscience, is anything but easy. Throw in the fact that she is also drawn to the human Feline, her girlfriend, whose role in the plot is much more than the reader initially suspects.
Of course, to me is was a plus point that Sula is vegan, and that Felix and his people are portrayed as nature-loving. It was magical to read about the Mindmerge and the Heartmerge, and to watch the main protagonist transform into various animals.
Hellenthal pulls you right in with the powerful, heart-wrenching first chapter, and develops a story arc that is filled with tension and wisdom, romance and magic alike.
Be warned: This book ends on a magnificent cliffhanger and makes you want to get your fingers on the sequel "Children of the Sun".
I can’t wait to see where the author will lead the characters, because all of them are so authentic and full of potential.
About the Author
Mrs Hellenthal is residing in the UK, with her partner, two small children, two small dogs and a cat who all follow her around the house at the same time.
She is an eco-warrior, animal lover, vegan and her hobbies include outdoor activities such as hiking, wild camping, swimming and snowboarding. She grows her own vegetables and loves to get her hands dirty in the garden. If there is any time left she loves to write speculative fiction that entertains people but at the same time makes them think. Her work has been described as 'thought-provoking'.
'The Queen's Curse' was her debut novel and has received some great reviews.
It's a heroic Spiritual Fantasy novel in the old tradition, yet with original and surprising elements. It attracts attention from a wide range of people, as it deals with many issue's such as: justice/injustice, power, freedom,adventure, magic, immortality, intrigue, soul searching, love, life, loss, near death experience, and sword and sorcery.
In this book the author explores more than the ancient battle between good and evil so common in Fantasy literature. What is evil and how does someone become bad? Available for Kindle and in Paperback.
In her writing she deals with big psychological and ethical themes and struggles of life such as death, love and loss and tries to build strong characters as realistic as possible, for even though the genre is Fantasy she wants people to feel connected with her heroes and villains as they would with their real life people.
Mrs Hellenthal is influenced by writers such as Marion Zimmer Bradley and Tanith Lee, Kahlil Gibran and Hermann Hesse.
She is currently working on Book 2 in the Epic Fantasy series, The Comyenti Saga, 'Children Of The Sun' which will be released Summer 2014!
Book 1 in the series, 'Call Off The Search' was published on the 26th of December 2013 and is available both for Kindle and in Paperback.
'Chained Freedom', a stand alone fairy-tale for adults but part of the Comyenti Series, was released in February 2014.
Please like and share her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natasja-Hellenthal
For the latest news and updates follow her blog on http://natasjahellenthal.wordpress.com or Twitter on @natasjahellenth
She is an eco-warrior, animal lover, vegan and her hobbies include outdoor activities such as hiking, wild camping, swimming and snowboarding. She grows her own vegetables and loves to get her hands dirty in the garden. If there is any time left she loves to write speculative fiction that entertains people but at the same time makes them think. Her work has been described as 'thought-provoking'.
'The Queen's Curse' was her debut novel and has received some great reviews.
It's a heroic Spiritual Fantasy novel in the old tradition, yet with original and surprising elements. It attracts attention from a wide range of people, as it deals with many issue's such as: justice/injustice, power, freedom,adventure, magic, immortality, intrigue, soul searching, love, life, loss, near death experience, and sword and sorcery.
In this book the author explores more than the ancient battle between good and evil so common in Fantasy literature. What is evil and how does someone become bad? Available for Kindle and in Paperback.
In her writing she deals with big psychological and ethical themes and struggles of life such as death, love and loss and tries to build strong characters as realistic as possible, for even though the genre is Fantasy she wants people to feel connected with her heroes and villains as they would with their real life people.
Mrs Hellenthal is influenced by writers such as Marion Zimmer Bradley and Tanith Lee, Kahlil Gibran and Hermann Hesse.
She is currently working on Book 2 in the Epic Fantasy series, The Comyenti Saga, 'Children Of The Sun' which will be released Summer 2014!
Book 1 in the series, 'Call Off The Search' was published on the 26th of December 2013 and is available both for Kindle and in Paperback.
'Chained Freedom', a stand alone fairy-tale for adults but part of the Comyenti Series, was released in February 2014.
Please like and share her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natasja-Hellenthal
For the latest news and updates follow her blog on http://natasjahellenthal.wordpress.com or Twitter on @natasjahellenth
The Queen's Curse - Natasja Hellenthal
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