Customer Reviews

Eldala

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4 star:		(3)
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Eldala is categorized as a young adult, fantasy novel. And it is good! Seriously, I couldn't put it down! I was completely drawn into the characters and swept away by the story. It is completely captivating, romantic, thrilling and magical. The story moves quickly and contains intrigue, evil, destiny, friendship and love. Michelle skillfully weaves the beauty of goodness and love with the despair of evil into a tapestry of hope and renewal.

From the first pages of the prologue, on into the depths of the captivating tale, Eldala delivers. Gregory writes with a fresh style yet masterfully weaves a tapastry filled with adventure, romance and meaning. Magical in its setting, readers of all ages who enjoy Lord of the Rings to Harry Potter will delight in Eldala's every twist and turn. Buy it and enjoy!

Thank you, Michelle Gregory, author of Eldala. I finished reading your book a couple of nights ago and found it charming, delightful and, to be perfectly honest, enlightening. It's a tale of two people whose hearts become entwined then are wrenched apart.

Prophecy, fate, magical curses and power all play a hand in Kieran and Jessara's lives. Though set in a different time and place, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the curse upon Teleria and the utter chaos going on in the world around us today.

Closer to home, watching these two characters dance around each others 'stories' gave me a powerful insight in to my own love relationship. What appears to be missing, may not be. And what is as plain as the nose on your face to one person may not be so evident to the other.

If you like a good love story spiced with danger, intrique, a kingdom to be saved and a people to be freed, Eldala is your ticket. And maybe, like me, you'll gain valuable insights in to your own soul.

It's been a long time since I've read high fantasy, but Eldala makes me want to read more. This story has some great sword-fighting, a few attacks by mythical creatures, an evil sorceress who holds the kingdom of Teleria under a curse --- but what makes Eldala really stand out from other fantasies with similar elements is the special "magic" called Eldala, a heart-bond that begins when two young friends exchange gifts and start to "grow together in mind and heart." But I can't say too much about this heart-bond without spoilers!

Kieran, the main character, starts off with a "let me play it safe" attitude, and his journey to becoming a true, self-sacrificing hero is a bumpy one that you can't help cheering him along.

But primarily Eldala is a love story.

On page two, Keiran muses that "there was only one woman for him. He just had to find her again." I couldn't resist those two simple sentences! I am a sucker for a quest to recover a lost love! Add into this mix the idea of Eldala, a heart-bond, and I was hooked.

The idea of a special magic being associated with love was very intriguing to me, and beautifully executed in this book. So many of us have a special song that we share with our loved ones, but Eldala puts a really neat twist on this idea of a love song, as well as shared dreams.

There is another magical element in the story, Keldar stones, that also fascinated me. The idea of a magic talisman or amulet certainly isn't a new one, but there's something special these stones do that is so cool!

And the magic that Kieran pulls off in the butterfly scene just took my breath away! Oh my gosh soooooo romantic! And romantic in the very best way. Not sappy.

I can't help myself I also have to gush over the beautiful but heart-breaking scene where Jessa girds Kieran for battle.

The only problem I had with this book is that Kieran doesn't find Jessa until about a third of way through - there's still lots of action and world-building but the story doesn't really take off until he finds her. The writing is also a little rough in spots but certainly not enough to distract from the story. Once Kieran and Jessa find each other, there are obstacles at every turn, and this is where all the careful world-building/plot-building pays off because they are believable obstacles. Not the least of which are some of the genuine insecurities and misunderstandings that complicate even true love - I liked these realistic touches to Kieran's and Jessa's relationship.

If you're looking for a book to whisk you into another world - one that will make you forget your cares & concentrate soley on the characters the book creates, Eldala is for you. It is a lovely book - one I could not put down. I read the iBook version in a day. The main character, Keiran, is strong but human in his weakness - very relatable & very well described. The tale is well thought out & each of the many characters has their important place. I loved Keiran's ability to control the elements, to heal, etc (don't want to reveal too much). The stones were something new & unique to what I've read & I enjoyed the bond it created between the holders immensely. I liked the fact that the lovers didn't immediately fall in love. Nicely written - keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. I could see this making a very nice middle earth type film. Beautifully described, exciting action scenes, tasteful lusty moments.
There were a few things I thought could strengthen Eldala: the iBook repeated a few paragraphs between pages (Im sure this is iBooks fault & not the authors fault). One paragraph stated a horse whickered - I'm not sure what that is - I'm thinking the author meant nickered. As with many first books, there were quite a few passive sentences throughout the pages that could have strengthened the book as a whole had they been caught & modified. Please don't let these from very minor concerns sway you from reading Eldala. It is an exciting, romantic, beautiful read & I look forward to more works from this budding author.
- Ashley L. Knight, author of Fins & Fathom

Eldala begins strongly with a prologue of the chase of King Arathor as he spirits his infant son Aiden away from danger, making the ultimate sacrifice to give up his beloved son and hide him in obscurity for to childs safety. The story is firmly grounded in fantasy by the use of a conjured wall of fire to make good the escape.

The story quickly introduces the main characters - Kieran (Aiden) and his cousin Gilrain - and exposes the overall plot for Kieran to accept his heritage as Crown Prince of Teleria, discover the location of his father King Arthor and pursuade him out of hiding, gather an army to defeat the Zorgoran Queen Ciara and end The Curse that blights all the lands, and reunite the races of Telaria and Baraca with a marriage to the Malazia.

To accomplish all the burdens his kingdom has placed on him, Kieran must first find the stolen Malazia Jessara, rescue her from slavery, and then convince her that the Eldalafar (a dance that binds the heart to the partner for all eternity) they shared was destiny, not a mistake achieved in childhood foolishness.

Mrs. Gregory builds a world rich in unique denizens - both human and monstrous - and doesn't stint on the use of magical spells, curative potions, respected Seers, and earth stones that connect the hearts and minds of its wearer over great distances.

The true strength of this novel is in the romance between Kieran (Telarian King Aiden) and Jessa (Jessara, Baracan Malazia). Two lovers torn apart in childhood by abduction and the animosity of their races; a sword fight to the death between rivals; a king more comfortable in the smithy than the council room; a rebel Malazia more suited as a warrior than spiritual leader. Rippling muscles, curvatious ladies, the angst of forbidden love. And all the sensual pleasures inherent in a passionate kiss; both forbidden and fulfilled.

Eldala had me frequently fanning my heart between breathtaking descriptive narrative and the heartwrenching scenes of two lovers torn apart by fuedal responsibilities, miscommunications, and cultural animosity.

Perhaps the essense of the novel can be summed up with the most memorable line for me:

"Courage is not the lack of fear," Kieran said, "but instead is the decision that something else is more important than your fear."

A sweeping story of family, friendship, love and war, Eldala takes you to another time and place that grabs your imagination and pulls you in. Kieran and Jessa, the two main characters, are strong, courageous and heroic, yet real and not too perfect. Their hearts are always in the right place and you can't help but cheer for them. The rest of the cast also shine. The point-of-view switches, mostly between Kieran and Jessa, but also with other characters every now and then. This could be confusing, but Michelle does it in such a way that you're glad to learn that part of the story and learn more about that particular character. Michelle has created a beautiful, detailed world that you'll enjoy getting lost in.

"You now have a choice, and it will take great courage to choose the right. From this moment on, you will be walking the path between who you are now and who you were born to be. All I am asking you to do is let yourself make the journey...." - Arathor's letter to Kieran, Eldala

In Eldala by Michelle Gregory, Kieran, the orphaned heir to the throne of Teleria discovers the truth of his origins in a letter from his father King Arathor. When Kieran discovers the truth behind his identity, he goes on a quest to recapture his father's kingdom, and find the childhood friend he lost. Little does he know that she is key to unlocking his destiny.

As a baby, Kieran becomes the adoptive son of a blacksmith. His father, King Arathor asks the man to shelter the child from the kingdom's enemies. On his twentieth birthday, Kieran discovers his unexpected heritage. Although he angrily rejects the truth at first, after Kale produces Arathor's sword, Kieran is hard-pressed to obstinately deny the past. He has seen the long-hidden weapon in his dreams. Another image from the past also haunts him; the memory of a dark-eyed friend, Jessara, who was lost to raiders in the forest during their childhood. Prompted by memories of her loss, Kieran assists a young woman against a brutal soldier and must flee to avoid the authorities. He reluctantly seeks out Arathor, with his mischievous foster cousin as a companion. Along their journey, Kieran discovers the dangers of the world outside his village. When a beast attacks his cousin in a cave where the young men have sought shelter, Kieran soon learns that their rescuer is his father Arathor. It is Keiran's destiny to restore Telaria to its former glory, and unite its warring factions under a king's rule. His quest may also allow him to discover Jessara's fate and rescue her. But before he can do that, Arathor's enemies capture him.

Eldala is as much Jessara's story as it is Kieran's. Although she was prepared for marriage with her relative Stefan from childhood, Jessara's chance meeting with Kieran changed her. It is a mysterious, yet deep connection that has persisted despite the time and distance between them. Now, Jessara lives a miserable existence as a slave in the palace of the usurper Rahnak, whose lust frightens her. His queen Ciara is especially dangerous and volatile. When a wounded stranger arrives at the palace, seemingly destined for marriage with Ciara's daughter, Jessara nurses him back to health. She also feels a powerful pull toward him, and recognizes it is Kieran. The pair has greater worries than an awkward reunion. Escape from Rahnak and Ciara's clutches seems near impossible, and unless Jessara and Kieran can put aside their hesitancy and suspicions, their future and that of the Telarian people seems bleak.

As a fan of very limited areas in genre fiction, I surprisingly enjoyed exploring the fantasy world Ms. Gregory has created in Eldala. She accomplishes it by keeping the reader focused on the diverse cast of characters, especially the lovers. It helps that the chemistry between Jessara and Kieran is palpable and intense. Jessara is admirable for her unfailing courage and love for Kieran, despite the intervening years. The emotional journey that Kieran undertakes, in which he learns to be a fighter and a leader of many people, is inspiring - the coming-of-age for a young man who discovers he can be more that he ever anticipated. The characterization is very good; Kieran's pain, suffering, confusion and joy laid bare on the pages of Ms. Gregory's work allows the reader to intimately know his hopes and fears. I thoroughly enjoyed Kieran and Jessara's journey, and hope to read more from Ms. Gregory in the future.

This book was magical, like Lord of the Rings. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. My son saw the book, and started reading...and LOVED IT! He has read the book multiple times. I recommend this book for adults and teenagers.

I enjoyed Eldala, it was a good read. I thought the message in the book about waiting for just the right person was encouraging. Eldala is a perfect blend of adventure and fantasy, it had a Eragon feel. It was well written and will read it again. Aubern'e