Customer Reviews

Redheart

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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: [...]

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!

A beautifully written work, not my usual type of stuff, but great stuff nonetheless. Jackie has a clear voice that leads one along through this world. Very good book.

From Jackie Gamber comes this new fantasy novel, the first in a planned series of Leland Dragon series. Gamber transports the reader to the lands of Leland Province where dragon and human societies have lived uneasily together for a long time. Fordon Blackclaw is the brutal and despotic Dragon Council Leader who seeks to either subdue or eradicate humans off the face of the land.

Enter young dragon Kallon Redheart. He has turned his back on both humans and his own kind. This adventure finds him meeting and befriending a young human woman, the feisty and independent Riza Diantus. She too has turned her back on the narrow confines of her village, seeking enlightenment and adventure elsewhere.

Together the two of them must face danger together and the suspicions and hatred of both humans and dragons. Kallon must also decide whether he continues to live in exile or fight for his rightful place as Dragon Council Leader. This is a story about friendship and courage between two unlikely kindred spirits.

The plot also concerns the search for the powerful Circlet of Aspira and there is a race to prevent all out war between the dragons and the humans. Other engaging characters include the wizard Orman, Jastin Armitage a dragon hunter as well as several colourful dragons!

Not only has Gamber created a vivid and exciting world she has written a novel that includes dragon politics! I loved reading about the `Dragon - Human Relations Pact.' This is an original take on a familiar formula, although villages, castles, mountains and streams feature this is more than just a formulaic walk through old ideas.

This is in more ways than one a new take on a popular genre.

There is plenty of soaring action, drama, humour as well as a deeper message behind the thrill-fest about tolerance, understanding and peaceful coexistence.

If you liked the BBC series `Merlin' the film `Dragonheart' and the book and film `Eragon' then this is a must read. `Redheart' will appeal to all ages and is a great read right up to its final unexpected twist ending.

Redheart is the first in the Leland Dragon series and probably the first book I've come across where you hear from the dragon's point of view as well as the humans. I must admit it took me a couple of chapters to really get into this story as it's told from multiple point of views which include Kallon, Riza, Jastin and Blackclaw.

The story revolves around Kallon Redheart a talking dragon. Kallon is the last of the red dragons and has isolated himself off from the rest of his species. He's bitter, and pessimistic, and spends alot of time on his own in Leland province, his territory. The only person who visits is an old wizard by the name of Orman. The rest of the town is frightened of the dragons so Kallon keeps his distance. When Kallon is out in the sky one day flying over the drought stricken land, he comes a cross a woman who is being tormented by a group of men. Kallon steps in and scares off the group and takes the unconscious Riza back to his cave until she wakes up. It's there that Riza and Kallon spark up an unusual friendship. One that Kallon denies exists in the beginning.

While it took me longer to get into the story, once I did I was absorbed in what was going to happen next. I found myself cheering for the underdog at the best of times and cursing when things weren't going in their benefit. I think Jackie has done a brilliant job at portraying each character with depth and substance that really brings them to life.

I really enjoyed reading Redheart. I love how the author has included the map at the beginning to help the reader follow along on the journey and the glossy prints that were included with Redheart were awesome!

Great Book

I read a lot of YA and fantasy in general, but dragons aren't normally my cup of tea. However, I found Readheart to be wonderfully woven tale. I loved the way the author paid close attention to the character development of both Riza and Kallon. Kallon is such a wonderful character and I loved that he had an active and important role in Readheart rather than taking a backseat to Riza, unlike the relationship in some other dragon/human books that shall remain nameless. I've heard this is going to be a series and I can't wait for the next one!

First I want to say that I loved that this is a Fantasy book written by a woman with a believable female character. She was strong and weak and loving and snippy when she needs to be. Riza was such a dynamic but believable character and I love seeing that in a Fantasy book when so many falter when writing female characters. What else did I love about this book? Yes you guessed it, Dragons. They were amazing. I loved being in the dragon's world. The descriptions of the dragons were amazing. They were so descriptive. I literally wanted to reach out and touch their scales and go flying.

Above all this is a story of friendship, love, heartache, loss and finding your way. Kallon and Riza were both lost when they found each other. This book shows how given the right path anyone can change for the better. People (and Dragons)can learn to forgive, love again, trust and find their place in the world. The connection between Riza and Kallon is wonderful. They are both in a place of confusion and mistrust and loss and finding each other when they did set them on the path to healing.

The beauty of this book is not only is it fantasy with fighting and dragons and magic but it has a great story of relationships and characters. All diverse and all with their own tales to tell. Jastin is as dark and mysterious as he lost and alone. He is also a rich complex character.

The climax was both rewarding and beautiful. It was one of those scenes that made tears appear as well as a smile. It was a stunning twist that was just wonderful. There is intrigue, drama, twists and turns and the author did a wonderful job inviting us in to this worlds and showing us it's beauty as well as the ugly parts. I can not wait to continue the tale in the next book.

This book is great for any age if you can read read it. My eleven year old was just as interested in the book as I was. Recommended for any age.

Kallon Redheart is the last of the red dragons. He has retreated from both the dragon world and the human world and wants nothing more than to die. Until he meets Riza. Riza wants something more than a dull life as a wife who questions nothing. She left home to find a place for herself, but all she seems to find is trouble. Kallon rescues her life, but can she rescue him in return?

This was a beautiful story that, while aimed at young adults, is a warm fuzzy read for adults as well. The story is all about the power of friendship and love. It is a quick and satisfying read.

The characters really made the story. They are a bit on the simple side, but still seem fully developed, not one-dimensional at all. Riza is a very naive but well meaning character. She truly shines with innocence. I rooted for her to find happiness, and to be saved from the constant trouble she found. Kallon is a troubled and stubborn dragon. I wanted to shake him a few times, but I still found myself rooting for him. Jastin is more complex than the others, and wasn't really good or evil, but somewhere in between. I didn't much care for him, mainly because I couldn't figure out if I was supposed to or not.

This is the first book of a series, but it is a good stand alone read. The story was complete, and wrapped up most loose ends, leaving just a few to be dealt with in later books.

This is a clean read. There is some dragon fighting and minor violence, as well as hints at romance, but would be appropriate for younger teens and up.

Redheart, set in Leland province is about unlikely friendships and betrayals. In a world full of ancient magic and dragons a young girl seeks out her adventure. Rita, one of the main characters befriends both a dragon and dragon killer in the same week. The love triangle created is one that plays out throughout the entire story.

My Review: 4.5 out of 5

I really loved this book. It was fun and intriguing. I definitely recommend it for high school students only as there are some slightly sexual references younger children will need to be protected from. The love story is slightly predictable but well written anyway.

I love that this book switches around in time. It is a bit reminiscent of Wuthering Heights in its set up only far less complicated. This book is written from many perspectives I love this full view of the characters lives. At times the writing of Redheart was simple and there were a couple of allusions I did not agree with. However; I waited seven days to read the last chapter because I did not want the story to end. The romance of this book will capture young ladies and some young men.

I recommend this book and I am very excited for the other books in the Leland Dragon series. If you would like to learn more about the series or author please go to Jackie Gamber's website.