Customer Reviews

Glory Rose And The Gloaming

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

 

 

I love King Author and Merlin stories; they have been my favorite since I was a kid. Now after reading Glory Rose and the Gloaming, I have to add Glory Rose to that list! This great story is fun, exciting, and full of adventure. I am anxiously waiting for the rest of the series!

This is a very enjoyable first installment in a series about the adventures of a half-fairy girl, Glory Rose.

Set in the magical time when the young Arthur is not yet King, Brandsma deftly weaves in myth and folklore in what she calls the Ensorcelled Realm. Some of the standard mythological characters live up to their advertising: trolls and stupid and ugly, and fairies are as you would expect them to be. Brandsma takes off from the old tales to make giants and dragons good guys, which pleases me no end. So, don't expect the same old tired magical creatures. Brandsma wisely varied from the trite retelling.

The villain, a creature of hell, is not a myth I recognize. I love when I find something in a myth-based fantasy, taken from well off the beaten path. Bassarab (or Basarab) turns out to be the family name of a certain Vlad Draculea. I'm a fan of Vlad and I missed this dynasty name in my own research. Kudos to Brandsma for mixing things up a little more.

As for writing, Glory Rose is an easy read for its young adult target audience. I believe that kids as young as ten will love the stories, the many great personalities, and the action revolving around Glory's role as the Chosen One.

Brandsma is also an adept artist and the clever line drawings at the beginning of each chapter are a delight.

I'm looking forward to "Glory Rose and the Book of Shadows." The first chapter of the second book in the series is excerpted at the end of "GR and the Gloaming."

One last thought. Gloaming is not a familiar word and, while it is explained in the book, it doesn't give any immediate wow factor when searching for something to read. Fortunately, Brandsma's cover art dragon takes care of that.

I want to say that I rarely award five stars to any book. I can think of only three or four books I've read that I'd give five stars. I reserve that for books that I'll end up reading every three or four years. I probably won't even do that with my own books!

If you love a well-written, action-packed, page-turning book, then you'll love Gloary Rose and the Gloaming. It's filled with magical characters that you won't forget. Brandsma's writing is stunningly visual and imaginative. I forsee a movie in the making. Even though this book is focused at teens, I'm in my mid 20s and absolutely enjoyed every detail of this book. I think this story deserves to be read.

From the first page, this book reels you in. The imaginative characters are unparalleled and described in such intricate detail. Glory Rose's journey as an outcast-turned-hero is an absolute joy to follow. There is some definite eyebrow raising twists that you won't expect, which I loved. I can't wait to read the next installment. Hopefully it won't be too long. This book would be an amazing movie if a producer and director were to scoop this one up. I would give anything to see these characters on film. A solid A+.

Wow I loved this book! I couldn't stop reading it and when I was finished I wanted more. Please Please hurry up and publish the second one.

I got so caught up in the characters, I loved the Kelpies,(which are water horses)the dragon, the frog race, Glory Rose half fairy half human and Merlin and many more. Such a great story. I wanted it to continue. I highly recomend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasty book. You will get so involved in the story.

Great Job.

Karen

Glory Rose and the Gloaming is a magical, fun, and well-crafted telling of the adventures of the outcast fairy Glory Rose and her adventures in the Magic Realm.

As Glory Rose travels on her "hero's journey," with Merlin the Magician, she meets an eclectic array of unforgettable characters: The sweet and endearing Nigel the dragon; the acerbic and witty Robin Goodfellow; the evil and menacing bendith brothers Dusius and Drayton; and an array of elves, pixies, sprites, lupinoids, fairies, and other memorable characters. Each one is unique, and it's hard to name a favorite, but if I had to choose one, I would say I adore Fergus the Fierce, a menacing little badger who turns out to be one of Glory's best friends. His interactions with Glory Rose are humorous and heart-warming, and immensely entertaining.

I believe that children of all ages will enjoy this story. Be aware that there are some frightening scenes featuring Glory Rose's encounters with the evil Bassarab that might be a bit strong for younger readers (younger than teens), but this story is ultimately empowering for anyone who has ever doubted themselves or faced an opponent they believe to be more powerful than they are. As Glory Rose grows and learns, with the help of her mentor Merlin the Magician, she faces each new hurdle in her quest with grace and dignity.

Mystery, intrigue, humor, pathos...and the most horribly-evil opponent to grace the pages of a book...are icing on the cake of this delectable dessert of a story. This story speaks to me visually and cinematically, and in my mind it's already a movie. The author, S.M. Brandsma, has rendered the cover painting and interior chapter heading illustrations in expert style.

Glory Rose and the Gloaming is vastly empowering in its resolution, and will leave a "good taste" in the mouths of readers. If I can say anything negative about this book, then it would be that there is just not enough!

If this is an example of what this talented author can manifest for a first effort, then I am eagerly anticipating the next two books in Brandsma's trilogy series.

Deborah Mack
Video production company owner, writer, and deejay