Customer Reviews

Giver of Roses (Guardians of Gadiel, Book 1)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

GIVER OF ROSES will take your breath away! - As a first time reader of this author's work, there are not enough adjectives I can think of that can adequately describe and do justice to this overwhelming, heart wrenching, and beautiful epic tale of good versus evil in the mythical land of Gadiel. Often, throughout this emotional adventure I found myself reaching for tissues as the author brought to life a fictionalized tale that made the spiritual and romantic struggles so very real.

It is the compelling tale of Vartan Karayan, royal heir of Gadiel, a good and honorable man struggling to save his people by fighting an invincible foe, overcoming physical obstacles, and when all seemed lost, discovering faith and learning to trust in a power that he'd never before believed in.

Saving Gadiel's life and helping him would be Danae, a young captive woman who recognized the strength and goodness of Vartan, her former captor. Good, kind and loving she would not forsake her friends, her God, or her love of Vartan, as she struggled to find her place in the world. When she ultimately answered a call to join the Dragonmaids her purpose seemed clear, but the price would be demanding -- requiring unselfish courage and a selfless overwhelming love.

___Words cannot describe how amazing this dynamic tale is and after reading this - Book One in the Guardians of Gadiel series -- I will certainly be anxiously awaiting the next ones. All the secondary characters Ankine, Danae, Ra'id, Sharifah, Serpuhi, and Zagiri are fully developed, compelling, and have piqued my curiosity to discover how they will emerge as they each embrace their own heightened spiritual awareness. Not only is this a well-written and inspirational novel but the authors writing style is pure, eloquent and mesmerizing in providing vivid imagery of sights, sounds and feelings as she transports the reader to heart tugging emotional heights. I very HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. [Marilyn, for www.romancedesigns.com]

The first several chapters of this book were slow enough to cause me to toss it aside with the conclusion that it was not worth my time. A few days later, however, I picked it up again for lack of something--anything--to read, and found that my first impression had been too harsh. I read through it quickly and when I finished, I was fairly satisfied.

In her tale, Kathleen Morgan weaves together a story of love, betrayal, war, and the kind of heart-wrenching nitty-grittiness starts your hands a-trembling and your heart a-thumping. The story is long and colorful, going from cold, snow, and mountains to heat, sand, and barren flatness to create a wide range of landscapes that gives her made-up world character. Though there are gaping holes in her world-development here and there, and certain aspects of her fantasy land seem almost borrowed from other fantasy tales, she has quite a bit of obvious potential to be a powerful fantasy author.

Nevertheless, I also found Morgan's story to be a bit choppy and untraditional to the point of absurdity in parts. For one thing, Giver of Roses IS a romance novel, and quite obviously so. Another thing that is obvious is the fact that Kathleen Morgan is a romance author--another book that I read of hers, Child of the Mist, was very much a romance. But in that story, the thick amount of romance was more befitting as the main theme of the story; in Giver of Roses it is not. Fantasy novels should have romance on the side, but it shouldn't be the main thing. And it this book it is very much the main thing.

Still, I think this book is a promising beginning for a new fantasy series. Hopefully, the second installment will not be a let-down, but will be better than the first.

Recommended.

Giver of Roses is awesome. If you like romance, fantasie and adventure. I love the book and cannot wait until 8/06 for book 2 to be released. I also read Child of the Mist - great historical romance. Kathleen Morgan binds you with her writing and makes you a part of the story ! You will not be dissapointed

One of Christian fiction's best romance writers turns her pen to fantasy in GIVER OF ROSES, a Tolkienesque tale and the first installment in the "Guardians of Gadiel" series. Interesting characters, rich cultural details, the expected romance, and an intriguing plot combine to make this an enjoyable read.

The story opens in the Year of the Ancients, 952, as the beautiful (of course!) captive Danae watches from the Fortress of Astara as her own people battle for possession of the town. Her feelings about their victory are mixed, as she has fallen hard for the handsome (of course!) and heroic Crown Prince Vartan of the royal family Karayan. But alas --- Vartan is married to the troubled elfin maiden Aelwyd, who teeters on the brink of madness. Danae feels torn between her love for Vartan and her loyal companionship to Aelwyd and her little son, Korien. But Danae senses that she and Vartan "in some curious way...were bound to each other, their lives and fates intertwined."

The story turns violent. Ladon has turned over his soul to Phaon, the Dark Lord, and the supernatural powers of darkness aid him in victory. By the end of the first chapter, Ladon wipes out most of the royal family and Vartan is left blind, with Danae leading him to safety. Morgan does an excellent job portraying the relentless powers of evil, including showing how these forces play out in the life of the grasping Hovan, who steals another man's beautiful wife and queen. "In his apparently endless quest to fill that strange, insatiable hole in his heart, Hovan couldn't seem to help himself."

Dwarves and elves, dragons and a race of demonic netherworldly imps called Pedars (think of Tolkien's orcs) populate the narrative. Portals to other places open and close, and magical doings help keep the pages turning. Perhaps Morgan's most compelling invention is the dragonmaids, a formidable community of virgins who (nun-like) swear vows to Athan, the All-Knowing and the Creator, and His precious son, Eisa. (Christian readers won't fail to miss the allegory here, nor the crucifixion allusions in the first battle). The maidens form a life-bond with their enchantingly beautiful dragons, who fly them into battle when called upon.

And called upon they are. As Vartan gains the allegiance of the Diya al Din --- the Desert people --- and romance and intrigue muddy the waters even more, the battle moves closer. Can they defeat the supernatural powers of evil that propel Ladon and his men? It's not long before the meaning of Vartan's name, "giver of roses," becomes clear as he is poised to fulfill prophecy.

Fantasy novels tend to run long, and Morgan's is no exception. For some readers used to the short, sweet romances of Christian fiction, there may be trouble spots. Morgan doesn't shy away from violence, and Ladon's dark sexual usage of Ankine, a sorceress, could surprise gentle readers. Passages can become a bit wordy or be a little overly detailed. There's also a scenario between Ladon and Danae recalling their attraction to one another that seems contrived without more of an earlier set-up.

However, fantasy fans used to the length, descriptives, and violence/sexual edginess of the genre will find Morgan's imaginary world compelling. Morgan ends her novel with plenty of loose ends dangling, leaving the reader anticipating the next installment.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. Contact Cindy [...]

In a desperate battle to save his family and their land, Vartan, the Crown Prince of Astara, agrees to fight the enemy's champion, Ladon. However, the confrontation leaves him blinded and left for dead, while Ladon kills his family and takes control over his city. Vartan is saved when Danae, a servant from his household and Zagiri, his surviving sister, steal him away in the night.

Heartbroken over his losses, Vartan will have to come to grips with the plan Athan (God) has for him. With the help of Danae, Vartan fights against not only physical but also spiritual enemies as well. Lessons of courage and faith will be learned as they face dangers together, in their quest to save the land of Gadiel and obey the tasks Athan has set before them.

Kathleen Morgan's new fantasy 'Giver of Roses' is an excellent novel, surpassing any of her other books I've read. People who enjoy authors like Karen Hancock, Donita Paul, or Bryan Davis will certainly find this book to their liking. The ending of the first book in the Guardians of Gadiel series has left me eagerly awaiting the next. A praiseworthy beginning with the anticipation of more to come.

I absolutly loved this book!! sometimes regular christian fiction can get a little boring for me being a teen. I love how kathleen morgan has christian values in a romantic fantasy! It makes reading so much fun. The only problem though is that now i HAVE to read the second book ( thanks to the first ones ending;} and it does not come out for another year!! but other wise i adore this book and am looking forward to more!!

I've been a fan of Kathleen Morgan for a while and was absolutely thrilled when I picked this book up. Imagine, a fantasy Christian fiction book! Aside from The Chronicles of Narnia series, I wasn't aware these even existed. I was absolutely thrilled. After reading the book (I couldn't put it down!), I was anxious to read the next book in the series and find any other authors who write within the same category. My husband and I looked everywhere as did my mother (a librarian). After a fruitless search, I had to conclude no one else writes Christian fantasy (unless you want to read young adult books). I was bummed out to say the least.

After that disappointment, I found out recently that the second book in this series is being held up by the publisher. Needless to say, I'm thoroughly upset! I've been waiting (not terribly patiently might I add) for this next installment for a long time now only to be met with disappointment. How are Christian fantasy books ever supposed to be widely appreciated if there is only this one book in adult fiction? Please release it soon. I promise I'll buy it!

And I'm a guy who doesn't cry! This entire book is wonderful, but the ending is truly marvelous! I read a lot of Christian fiction, fantasy. This gal is GOOD! Great characters, great character development, great story, suspense and surprises. Packed with emotion. I can't wait to get my hands on book number 2, The Stone of Power. As of this writing, I believe it's behind its' scheduled release date, but I'm more than willing to wait. I haven't read any of the other reviews, so I have no idea what others think, but I had a hard time putting this book down. I've never been a big fan of love stories, and it would be selling Giver of Roses waaay short to call it just a love story, because there's adventure, tragedy, humor, war, and sooo much more. But when all was said and done, and I'd had time to digest and analyze what I'd just read, I was left with an overwhelming sense of the almost limitless power of unconditional love.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an exciting and well-written story about ordinary people who are thrust into extraordinary situations and in the process find the true path to overcoming adversity.

Bravo! ENCORE!!

This is a great book. I had a hard time putting it down. It has action, romance, spirituality and it's out of the norm. I am always looking for a book that takes me away from the reality of life today. This is one of my favorite books in my library. My only complaint would be that the second book in this series hasn't come out yet. Can't wait to read it!

I thought the book was very well-written and overall a great story. The resolution, however, was very disappointing. (The ending itself was not poorly written--just somewhat "tragic".) It would be more hopeful if the rest of the trilogy could provide a possible future resolution, but Kathleen Morgan has stepped away from writing and may never write the sequel. So if the characters are left with this book's ending as their final answer, prepare for disappointment. I may have given this book 5 stars if the sequel was there to continue the story.