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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shroud Magazine Review, January 5, 2011
The Black Act is a suspenseful, heart-felt, dark-fantasy tale based on a unique mythos as to the creation of our world. Written in a well-executed, non-linear fashion, Bohmer's evocative imagination whisks us away to an old world--- alien, yet familiar.
Ever since the death of their Guild Mother, Anna and Claire's world has been tough. Anna--a second level initiate into the ways of magic--feels her sister has changed. When Anna starts having strange and vivid dreams concerning the beginning of the world--even the inner-thoughts of those who dwelled within it--she approaches her scribe teacher, Rosalind for advice.
Rosalind instructs Anna to scribe what she has dreamed. It is to be part of The Record. Anna, only a second level initiate questions the motives. She feels she is not ready. But she has no choice. For some reason, Anna is watching the forging of the clans that comprise of the Dalthwein lands and the story must be told.
Her sister Claire spends more and more time with her secret lover, Luthien, from the south woods. Anna can't take the pain of being put aside by her sister and her secrets any longer. She implores her for answers. Claire appraises her sister's face to see if she is ready for the truth... the last words their mother spoke before she died.
Once the truth is spoken, Anna's life is turned upside down with a horrible realization that could re-write history in no one's favor. Anna's dreams continue, and when they start contradicting the status-quo of history, she has no choice but to seek help from her Scribe teacher; only to find the harsh truths told by her sister, and the dreams are one in the same.
The Black Act is epic in scope. Bohmer digs deep and immerses us into a world that is fantastical, yet tangible. The use of allegory in history is done very well and is put to good use. The people we come to know along the way are just as human as we are. What truly makes this a gem--aside from creating an entirely believable and fantastical world, unique and rich--is Bohmer's powerful voice and delivery. All of this coalesces into a tale that haunts you long after finishing it. The Black Act heralds the presence of a formidable story-teller.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A horrifying fairy tale with a fast pace and amazing visuals, March 18, 2009
This review is from: The Black Act (Paperback)
Which is more powerful? The unyielding curse of hatred, or the enduring blessings of forgiveness? The bonds between sisters, or the pull of an ages-long curse? Louise Bohmer's The Black Act explores these questions, not through one, but dozens of black acts spanning the lives of many generations of one family.
The present day story begins with initiate Wise Women Anna and Claire, twin sisters who have been raised in the sacred fae valley to act as witches, guardians of the land, and as the diplomats between the humans and the fae. But the Wise Women have been harboring a secret about a constant cycle of violence within the guild from their fae masters, and Claire and Anna represent the culmination of these terrible misdeeds.
The names of the fae races may seem familiar, but nothing in this book is described in a traditional manner. The fae are creatures of wood, vines, moss, and fungus. Their physical descriptions are exquisitely graphic, making them both terrifying and intriguing at the same time.
The first two thirds of the book are strong on visual description, scenery, and internal character development. All of these elements are juggled effectively, and with a pacing that is almost breakneck. The first two acts are a true page-turner in every sense of the meaning.
But once the chain of events surrounding the curse become clear in the third act of the book, the chain of deaths all became motivated for the same selfish reasons. Because of this, they felt repetitive and slowed down what had been a blazing fast pace.
The book wraps up these black acts with a tribunal and with a demonstration of poetic justice, bringing the story full circle. Though it seems that no one is capable of forgiving during many points in the third act, the book still manages to close on a message of hope.
I give The Black Act four stars, and I would heartily recommend it to fans of thought-provoking, vivid fantasy and horror.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read!, May 5, 2009
This review is from: The Black Act (Paperback)
I recently received "The Black Act" from Amazon and read the entire thing cover to cover in two days. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good mix of horror/fantasy and just plain inventive fiction. Ms. Bohmer has created a memorable world, peopled with fascinating characters.
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