Customer Reviews

Children of Rhatlan

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I only wish I had Jonathan's imagination. When he came up with the concept of duals, he had a winner all the way! At first, it was a little difficult for me to envision two separate people living in one body but once it became clear to me, I wished I'd thought of it. This is more than multiple personalities; it is two distinct people, each with their own personalities, living inside one body. And the explanation for that duality is absolutely believable. The reader learns to like each of the duals and when they are in danger, the suspense is high.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a little fantasy in their diet. Even if you don't, give it a try; I'm sure you will agree that this book is awesome.

CHILDREN OF RHATLAN is a sure winner! Jonathan Fesmire's concept of duals brings a new dimension to fantasies of our daily lives. Once you pick this book up, you will want to keep reading it, even while eating! I look forward to reading books about duals for many years to come.

'Children of Rhatlan' is an exciting story of duels, twins in the same body. Mr. Fesmire has written an excellent fantasy story, it's new and it's original. This author is one to watch for more wonderful stories in the future. Be sure to check out his anthology of short stories, 'Seeds of Vision' available in downloadable form or in trade paperback.

CHILDREN OF RHATLAN by Jonathan Fesmire
Lulu Printing
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
ISBN: 1411637194, $15.95, 276 pp, 2005

High fantasy at its best! Wizards, sorceresses, magic and the new duals.

In this story the duals are twins (Garum and Vayin) who have two bodies but share one life and one place in the world. For one to be present, the other must vanish.

The evil wizard Paterun who possesses the magical Claws of Rhatlan is possessed himself by the souls and voices of those he's killed. The voices laugh as one in his mind. They hear his thoughts, and they talk to him.

"Duals can handle another voice in their minds, so why can't I? The hair tingled along his arms. He looked toward the open shutters, eyes widening as a new idea formed. No light came through the horn windowpanes. Duals! Curse of Rhatlan, I believe they can handle it because they were born joined. They were made that way. What if I were a dual?

You're a fool! the sorceress cried. The wizard cringed; he had neglected to hide his thoughts. Now, he made the effort.

She'll know soon enough. I can't hide everything from them. He rubbed his forehead. I can't become a dual, but I could join with one, send my mind, all these minds, into one. Gods, I believe this will work!"

Now our evil wizard has a plan to free himself from the voices in his mind. Does he succeed? Only the tale will tell.

Jonathan Fesmire is an accomplished writer and artist. "Children of Rhatlan" will definitely appeal to children of all ages. Jonathan has a rich imagination and the ability to describe the world he sees in his mind. The magical mystical cover was created by Stephanie Law and is a work of art itself.

Other books by Jonathan include "Tamshi's Imp", "Seeds of Vision" and "Amber in the Over World".
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 1, 2006 - Copyright

I love this story because the duals are unique. They are a different kind of magic and I think its absolutely brilliant. It's a great story about magic, racism, betrayal and hatred, to love and lose, revenge, and forgiveness. I hope you take the oppurtunity to read this book and go on one adventure after another with Garum and Vayin!!!

Duals are twins of an unusual nature. For one to be present, the other vanishes. So while Garum and Vayin have two bodies, they share one life, one place in the world. Living in a world that hates duals, Garum and Vayin must lead a very sheltered existence on their family's farm. So when an opportunity arrives that allows them time in the city, both were grateful.

Unfortunately, to secure lodging and food, they must steal a bauble that will pay their way. When Vayin slips away from a jeweler with the ring, she is quickly caught. A stranger, however, saves her from the dangerous situation.

Jevya makes it her life mission to save duals. Teaching them magic, Jevya gives duals the magical spells that allow them to live safely in the everyday world. Vayin is startled by Jevya's determination to bring her safely home. Garum and Vayin don't understand why Jevya insists upon helping them.

Soon they learn, however, that her brother Paterun, a powerful wizard, poses real danger to them. In possession of the magical "The Claws of Rhatlan." the wizard gains not only the life and those whom he kills with the claws, but also their very souls. Consequently, their voices haunt him. But becoming a dual, Paterun hopes to regain the stillness of a quiet mind.

Wizards, duals, and magic combine in the CHILDREN OF RHATLAN by Jonathan Fismire to create an unforgettable tale of fantasy. As the judge for the recent Dream Awards contest, I admit to having great difficulty choosing only book for the first place, particularly considering the quality of the top five entries that included CHILDREN OF RHATLAN. The tight weave of the tale, the past pace, and the ingenuity displayed reveal a master story teller in the making. I certainly hope that Fismire intends to continue where left off, leading these marvelous duals into more adventure and perhaps finding a happy resolution for Vayin.

"Garum and Vayin are "duals," twins trapped in each other's minds and bodies, sharing one life. When a deranged wizard hunts them, whom can they turn to? Their mentor? The city guard Vayin loves? The Wizards' Guild? In a world that hates duals, anyone could be their enemy, and one misstep could get them killed. "Children of Rhatlan" introduces one of Fesmire's break-through ideas: that of "duals," uniquely connected twins with special abilities feared by their world's mainstream society. This is an exciting fantasy novel, with magic, romance, treachery, wizards, and plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing."

Jonathan Fesmire has created a universe in which his intriguing creation of the Dual Twin is forced to survive or perish. Imagine having a twin with whom you've never come face to face because you are unable to occupy the same space and time. Fesmire has imagined exactly such a situation and how it would effect his creation as they are forced to hide their true identities because most of those around them misunderstand, fear and hate them...even the most mundane of daily exercises becomes a challenge and a trial. Whom can they trust? Add to that a villain who wishes their undoing and the complication of romance and what Fesmire has given us is quite the tasty confection indeed!

With the recent popularity of such literary phenomenons as Harry Potter, and the resurgence of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, overuse of the staple fantasy cliches has become a commonplace occurrence. That is, if there's magic, there are elves, and if there are elves, there are orcs, and if there are orcs, there are great battle sequences strung together with brief vignettes supporting the obligatory character development, and...you get the picture.

Jonathan Fesmire's Children of Rhatlan sidesteps the trend to capitalize on the current fantasy formula, and instead tells a simple tale of two siblings trying to find their place in a world not quite our own.

Our heroes, Garum and Vayin, are duals, siblings who possess their own individual bodies and souls, but who are relegated to sharing the same life, the same "space," if you will. When one is "overt," the other must remain "covert," and vice versa. It's a bit confusing at first, but an interesting conundrum nonetheless. Rather than focus the novel solely on the magic involved, though, Fesmire has concentrated the brunt of his attention on the emotional and social magic behind living a dual's life. Sure, there is the central plot involving Garum and Vayin meeting an old witch bearing promises of enlightenment, and her brother, Paterun, a mad wizard fallen from grace (whose insatiable lust for spiritual resonance sets him on a quest to assimilate Garum and Vayin), but it's the brother-sister politics that count. In writing a book about siblings with a dual nature, Fesmire has very much conceived a story with a dual plot line. The overt: Paterun's quest to track down Garum and Vayin; the covert: the duals' coming of age, managing the necessities of food, shelter, love, acceptance in a world filled with superstition and mistrust.

Children of Rhatlan is a comfortable novel, more of a character study than an epic battle piece (though confrontation between Paterun and the duals is inevitable)--but I believe this to be Fesmire's intent, to make duality into an everyday affliction that must be dealt with by our young heroes. To this end, Fesmire knows how his machine works. Dave Duncan's Great Game comes to mind: a complete society and religious system has been laid out to support his characters. Moreri, Lothay, and Rhatlan--the mischievous lord--are potent fixtures which future Rhatlan novels will surely expand upon.

Children of Rhatlan isn't perfect. At times, there just doesn't seem to be enough happening in the in-between scenes, and the frequency of occasions upon which Garum and Vayin are either eating or bathing borders on the redundant--but having said that, the premise is solid: What would it be like to share your life with someone else--literally?

Jonathan Fesmire knows the answer.