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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't like the ending, but the prose is great, May 11, 2011
Kallon, one of our main protagonists, is a red dragon. This the first time I've read a story with a dragon protagonist; not a person who turns into a dragon or a dragon who turns into a person, but an outright dragon. Kallon is isolated from other dragons and fairly bitter about his life. He has a very real sense of his own limitations--yes he can fly, but even the sky has its boundaries and he inevitably has to come back to earth. He's powerful, but he doesn't feel that he can really bring about any positive change in the dragon world, now that his father is dead. Kallon was supposed to take over his father's position as leader of the dragon council, but instead he let a poor successor handle the duties, and now a war between dragons and humans is brewing.
Kallon is out flying on his lonely patrol when sees a group of human men attacking a woman. Kallon scares them away and flies the injured girl to his mountain home, and thus begins an unlikely friendship. Riza, the girl, grows to appreciate Kallon even though humans are supposed to hate and loathe dragons. When Riza stumbles away from Kallon's cave and rejoins human society, she makes her way to a small town where Jastin, a hunter, takes care of her and gets her a job as a tavern cook. Riza's life is just beginning to get better when she realizes that Jastin's kindness may come with strings attached, and she may have to decide between a comfortable life and the well-being of her dragon friend.
I really enjoyed the writing style of Redheart. It has almost "muscular" prose--powerful and moving, like this early sentence while Kallon is flying: "The field gave way to sand, and the sand to stones, then bulging fists of granite welcomed him home to the foothills of the Leland Mountains." See? It's conveying his movement, and the sentence feels like it's moving, or at least it does to me with that field-sand-stones progression.
There are some funny scenes at the dragon council meetings, but the surprisingly light tone made me wonder how seriously I was supposed to take the book. Before the dragon council, the story had seemed mostly fantasy-realistic, but any time the dragons are together as a group, it seemed more like a spoof. And I'm not really a fan of the surprise ending, so the book overall comes down a little in my estimation.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dragon Lovers Don't Miss This One!, April 23, 2011
Redheart by Jackie Gamber
Article first published as Book Review: Redheart by Jackie Gamber on Blogcritics which will theoretically get me more traffic on my posts. ([...])
Redheart is book one of the Leland Dragon Series. Leland is the province where Kallon Redheart, a red dragon, resides. The province is in a drought and tensions between dragons and humans are at an all time high. Fordon Blackclaw, the Dragon Council Leader, is using the tensions to further his personal ambitions. This is the cauldron that a young woman named Riza finds herself embroiled in when she flees a life of mundane existence.
Riza Diantus epitomizes or perhaps symbolizes the plight of the woman in un-enlightened cultures. That is making the assumption that we live in an enlightened culture which isn't always guaranteed. Equal opportunity often seems to be a cliché not realized in our tumultuous economic environment of today let alone in a rural agriculture set in a medieval style setting.
Riza questions all, not just those in authority, she questions everyone. Her lust for answers and her refusal to be bound by a rigid role proscribed by her agrarian life makes her a heroine in my estimation. She refuses to accept the role of victim and fights for what she wants and what she feels is right.
Jastin, the dragon hunter, is on a quest of vengeance. He is conflicted regarding his feelings for Riza. He perceives himself as a merciless mercenary but is surprised when Riza touches feelings he thought long abandoned.
Kallon, too, is far more than a cardboard cutout of a dragon. He deals with feelings of alienation and inadequacy. Kallon's struggles with his fears and his relationship with Riza, Jastin and the wizard, Orman, become entwined with Blackclaw the Dragon Council leader.
Gamber has created loveable and despicable characters. She imbues them with real feelings, emotions and frustrations. Jackie Gamber brings alive dragons and adventure with colorful, involved storytelling. The intricate details of a Stephen Zimmer or Tolkien are not there but the warm characters and very believable emotions produce a book that will be remembered and cherished.
I highly recommend the book and look fervently for a sequel.
Body of work of <a type="amzn"> Jackie Gamber </a>
Web site: [...]
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anxiously Satisfying!, April 3, 2009
As a reader of fiction, I've been through a drought as of late. I've been satisfied by non-fiction, but starved when it came to sparking my imagination. I missed the enthusiasm of turning the page until I reached a fulfilling end. I missed the images that unfolded in my mind as I pictured the adventure. I missed something unpredictable, which for an adventure through the ol' brain box is a must have.
Aside from that, I've also been looking for something special to grip my niece's mind because she's "just not into books". Now I believe I've fulfilled both the quest for her and my personal saga. I'd truly hate for anyone to miss a treasure as wonderful as REDHEART by Jackie Gamber.
I'm 35 years old and very picky about what I like to read. I was hesitant to the fact that the main character, KELLON REDHEART, was a talking dragon. I'm reluctant to say much more, I do hate spoilers - and if you're reading this you must be interested.
So I'll end by declaring "REDHEART is like SNICKERS - it satisfies the hunger. Jackie Gamber is like MARS - she's created a craving!
Get that sequel out soon Mrs. Gamber -- you've got a fan!
***I've ordered another copy for my niece - I'm keeping mine!
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