Customer Reviews

Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon

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

 

 

"Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon" is a fantastic book. It is sci-fi meets military school, and the uniqueness of this plot is quite refreshing. The main character, Danielle Kelson, aka Dan, is endearing and attention-grabbing as an outcast among females, among her military-academy classmates, and even among her own race. Dan's determination, spunk, and general bad-[...]-ery makes for a wonderful main character.

Though the book starts almost slowly, it picks up so quickly and efficiently that I actually did not want to stop reading and put the book down. Congrats to the author for writing a book that's interesting, particularly unique within its genre, and has a plot that will surprise you to the end.

Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon begins on a distant star, Tumacari, where conditions for remaining alive are always hazardous compared to life on any planet. To properly maintain healthy day and night cycles, elves regulate the amount of light allowed to enter residence facilities. Any structures on Tumacari are cleverly engineered to keep out the star's intense heat.

So there is a definite artificiality living in a dormitory-like residence such as Acadia, the unit housing elf Danielle Kelson. Like all elves, her life is restricted to a vast interior network of buildings. Because of atmospheric conditions, any outside world is fake. The "Outside was really just a stretch of room designed to mimic the familiar planets."

Sixteen years prior, Danielle's parents dropped her into this elven world bearing a certain magic nuance about her. She is the only female elf to display such unique powers.

But her magic does not appear as strongly visible as the showy displays of many aggressive male elves. Yet, the shade of her aura often betrays her mood: red when angry, blue when calm, green when in a daring mood or being challenged.

On Tumacari, becoming a guardian angel officer is a position prized by male elves who prove themselves capable of bearing the strain of extremely rigorous training. Not only must they pass punishing physical endurance tests, which at times are equal to bodily torture, but they must also show themselves capable of enduring acute psychological stress along with clever intelligence.

As the only female elf with magical powers, Danielle attempts to become such an officer on Tumacari. Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon is Dan's story of her attempts to achieve each benchmark level of duress on her way to becoming a true guardian officer. Because a female elf has never accomplished such distinction before, the male elves in her training group with misogynistic attitudes do not make life easy for Dan. These men interpret her actions as challenges to their masculinity.

During one of her less strenuous tests, Dan is forced to run a maze at top speed much like a laboratory rat. The intensity of her brain waves is studied by her Commander and a Dr. Calvener via a monitor screen in front of them. When she passes the test with ease, she is commanded to run the maze backwards.

To relieve her pent up anger and humiliation over this charade, Dan deliberately cuts herself with a sharp knife. At first, mere elven fluid leaks out, but eventually, it turns red--real blood. Refusing to focus on any pain, she attends to the relief she feels. Her frustrated overseers take notice. She has passed yet another test.

In spite of its stress on sweaty muscular strength, fortitude, and mental acuity, Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon is not without feeling as Dan is pushed to her feminine limits. Throughout the story she is befriended by Frog and Jordan.

Danielle's feelings are stirred for muscular Jordan and become somewhat intense. At one point in the story, Dan awakens to see Jordan pull himself out of bed. "Dan blushed as she realized he was shirtless ... and gorgeous." She is taken by his angular buffed physique.

For those who like mythical tales of valor, strength and endurance this elven tale will prove fascinating. From the first chapter of Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon when Danielle is initiated into her ritualistic hell-like contests, until the story's closing chapters, the reader will be captivated by this female's fortitude, bravery, and skill. Her physical and mental development throughout the tale will leave you in awe.

I would recommend Guardian Angels: The Setting Moon because you'll find yourself rooting for this brave young woman. Can she survive each nightmarish test among the dominant males especially those who lie and cheat to defeat her? And in the end, will she be smart enough to recognize the staged deceit around her and not rebel against it?

Surely readers will see more of young Jessica Wagenfuehr's books in their favorite bookstores in years to come.

Other fascinating stories:

Battle Scarred

The Island Off Stony Point

The Lake That Stole Children: A Fable

In Her Wake: A Child Psychiatrist Explores the Mystery of Her Mother's Suicide