Customer Reviews

Seabird

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

 

 

Seabird is a work of high fantasy which will appeal to aficionados of the genre who appreciate tales that recount the struggles, failures, and triumphs of reluctant heroes.

Teenager Cara Marshall is the reluctant hero of Seabird. Plucked from a predictable life of summer vacation at the local beach, younger sibling to baby-sit and game arcade dates with her boyfriend, Cara is suddenly and inexplicably transported to the distant and less technologically sophisticated world of Narenta. And from the moment she arrives nothing is predictable. Cara finds herself alone in a weird and wonderful landscape filled with strange, exotic creatures and a race of bird-like people that call themselves the Young Ones who believe that Cara, whom they call "the Outworlder," has been sent by their God, Alphesis, to deliver them from the evil of the Daetaga, a trio of ancient life-destroying sorcerers. When all her efforts and repeated pleas to be returned to her own world fail to convince the Young Ones that she is not the hero they think she is, Cara sets out on her own to find a way home.

And so begins her great and arduous journey. On her trek across Narenta she soon discovers that not only does almost everyone she meets know more about who she is and why she is there than she does, but also that she is being pursued by forces whose only objective is to destroy her. Along the way Cara is both betrayed to her enemies, the Shadow, and aided by wise and noble enchanters and the courageous and spiritually evolved Seabirds, servants of the Light, who selflessly give themselves to her protection and guide her to an understanding of her destiny and of the mission only she can undertake and complete.

Cara learns, often as a result of great personal loss, what it means to give of oneself to serve a greater good - for almost without realizing it she comes to accept her strange destiny - and to seek victory over evil in the face of devastating odds, to face fear, death and the unknown with fortitude and courage born of faith, even though there is little hope of survival.

The first third of Seabird moves forward at a leisurely and exploratory pace, but action-loving readers shouldn't despair. As the plot begins to unfold the story picks up momentum and moves relentlessly forward with plenty of conflict. both physical and magical, as battles and inter-personal struggles are waged across Narenta until the story's powerful conclusion.

Seabird is a work of tremendous imagination and great devotion. With good humor and a light touch Ms. Thompson quietly asks the reader to consider what his/her own response might be if suddenly and irretrievably "put to the test." It is a book well worth your investment of reading time.

The Pevensie children are no longer the only ones being pulled away from their lives on Earth in order to set things right in another world. Meet Cara, a typical self-centered and shallow teenager. After purchasing a unique seabird pendant, she finds herself suddenly pulled out of her own world and into Narenta, into a society where everything looks rather medieval and the people are expecting an outworlder to come to their aid. They are all convinced that Cara has been sent by Alphesis, their Lord, to perform a deed that only she can accomplish. Cara is convinced that it's a mistake, and the only thing she wants to do is go home. Unfortunately, the more she tries to run from this task and find a way home the more she becomes embroiled in the danger of the Tumult. Some very nasty Demons (daemagos) are quite intent on killing her, no matter what her own intentions.

This is an engaging tale of high fantasy, one that Young Adults in particular should enjoy right from the beginning. At times it is humorous when Cara tries to communicate using typical teenspeak in a world that doesn't get all the expressions and slang. But that is only a small element of this novel. It is brimming with action and adventure, lots of battle scenes, but also some brilliant scenes filled with the life-altering experiences that Cara undergoes internally. Themes of light and Living Water weave their way throughout the tale, as do honor and the Joy of Obedience. This will teach some lesson painlessly; in fact, if you don't tell them there are any lessons, the teens won't see them coming! Characters have a great deal of personality, individual personalities so deep and unique that you'll feel like you really know them before the story is over. It's not all happily ever after and pie in the sky either. I highly recommend it. If you're looking for some summer reading material, please consider this one.

Fans of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia might have found a favorite new author. Seabird, the debut novel by Sherry Thompson, is reminiscent of Lewis's classic series in terms of the rich fantasy world the author has crafted, the teen protagonist, and the strong religious subtext.

The story centers around Cara Marshall, a teenager who is magically transported to the land of Narenta. Cara, selfish by nature, is told that she has been chosen as a champion who is charged with fighting the evil that threatens the land. Convinced there has been a mistake, and not at all interested in being a hero for these odd strangers, Cara sets off to find her way home. Circumstances and experience eventually take her in a different direction and, aided by a small cast of Narentans and some talking seabirds, Cara takes on the mantle of champion.

The strengths of this story begin with the mystical quality of the world. Narenta is mysterious and inviting, but also threatening and frightening. Thompson paints memorable pictures of many locales. The reader truly feels that he or she has been dropped into the middle of a tangible world. The religious themes are strongly present, but the book is not preachy and it reads like a secular book. Characterization is another strength, with Cara completing a visible character arc- something that is frequently lacking in contemporary fantasy.

Some might find the "black and white" presentation of good versus evil to be a negative. The bad guys are bad because they're bad and the good guys are good because they're good. Readers looking for a George R.R. Martin/Joe Abercrombie type story with all characters being varying shades of gray will find Thompson's traditional approach off-putting, but those who enjoy the CS Lewis type of story will be right at home.

Seabird, the first book of the Narentan Tumults, is a must-read for CS Lewis fans, and promises to be an enjoyable story for those who like traditional fantasy.

While this series could be considered a "Narnia for young adults," I see the influences of Charles Williams (Many Dimensions, especially) and J. R. R. Tolkien more clearly than that of Lewis. And it's interesting to see some of Williams's ideas in a form that's much easier to digest. But it's still good reading for a fan of any of these writers as well as anyone who never heard of them. I was afraid at first that I'd have to wade through fantasy cliches -- one reason I tend towards avoiding contemporary fantasy -- but I found I had little to fear. It's a fast-paced story that gets deeper and more involving as you read along. I hope the rest of the series gets published!

I regularly make it a point to try a new author, and more often than not I'm glad I did. Seabird is no exception. A young woman must find her way through a dangerous, mystical world, and fulfill a destiny that she doesn't want. The story is heavy on conflict: Cara vs deadly creatures, Cara vs "bad guys", Cara vs people who ought to be her friends, Cara vs her destiny, Cara vs herself. There is suspense, action, and a bit of humor. The world that Sherry Thompson has created feels both fantasy and "real". It is not just a cookie-cutter fantasy map that the characters walk across. I am looking forward to more from this author. Buy it!

Seabird is one of the better fantasy books I've read. It's technically YA, but it has appeal for all ages. The story is solid, the writing skilled, the characterization strong, and the world vivid. I found myself irritated when I had to put it down, and anxious to pick it back up again. It doesn't get bogged down with ridiculously long and complex battle scenes like many fantasy novels do, but there is plenty of action and swordplay. I especially loved the Seabirds themselves, and the unique use of magic. The story has classic elements--like a quest and a prophecy--but they are woven in a very original fashion.

One might be tempted to think a story where a character gets whisked away to a strange fantasy world would be full of trite fantasy plots. You'll find none of that here. No elves, no dwarfs, wizards, dragons. Instead, you get enchanters, young ones, seabirds, and various people set in a well-crafted world, deep in its own history and cultures. Just exploring this new world with Cara is its own reward as Sherry Thompson does a great job of putting the reader firmly into this new world with detail and descriptions that paint a picture, but don't get in the way of the story.

But it doesn't stop there. While Lewis-like in its basic premise, the allegory, while there, is with a lighter touch. The Narentian god, Alpheus, is obviously an analogy to Jesus Christ. The character only appears at key moments and doesn't devolve into a deus ex machina solution to the dangers faced, a problem Lewis had in some of his Narnia novels. Nor would the secular reader feel they were preached at.

What you do have is a modern fantasy along the lines of Lewis, Tolkien, and Williams, but with Sherry Thompson's own stamp firmly on it, making it her story. Cara Marshall is pulled into this new world, where she goes from being the scared teenager, to reluctant hero, to finding in herself the ability to sacrifice her own desires for those of others. The character arc is well built and satisfying.

The writing is well done. It has a big of a choppy feel to it at times, but this is due to the character's thought patterns being on the fragmented side. Less than a handful of times I had to stop and think where she was going, but those were far and few in between, and didn't distract me. While you might spot a typo here and there, the grammar is clean, the writing in most cases clear, and the story well-told.

The story does get a little slow at the beginning as Cara fights her calling to save these people, but it quickly accelerates and the action grows intense. There is a good touch of humor and pathos to the story. Death is a reality, and Cara faces her own doubts and deals with them in multiple ways. The struggle feels real, and I found myself rooting for her.

This is an enjoyable read with an original story, a rich world, and a solid cast of characters, both the main character and the supporting cast. The story is great for young adults, even young teens, but will be appreciated by adults as well who enjoy a solid fantasy that isn't like everything else out there.

I recommend reading this book if you enjoy a good fantasy story.

Best Good vs. evil quest saga since tolkien. Christianity is never mentioned, but the God figure is similarly personal, wise, powerful, compassionate, etc.

Opening a story with a teenage girl pondering the things that teenage girls ponder is not usually a good way to catch my interest. But, the prologue was biting enough to help me get through to the real meat of the story as Cara begins her adventure and honestly, would I handle her situation with any more grace and aplomb? Probably not!

I titled this review "A story that gathers momentum until you can't stop" because the image I have in my head as I think about the overall story is that of the huge stone ball in the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark". In the opening sequence of that great movie, Indy seeks to escape the jungle hiding place where he has appropriated a treasure. After finally overcoming the treachery of his companion, he is stunned to see this giant stone ball rolling slowly down a ramp, gaining deadly speed as it chases him out of the cave.

Seabird is very much like that stone ball. You don't know it's there until it's almost too late, but when you notice it, you can't stop (reading) until you escape its inevitable conclusion. Yes, the first chapter is a little "slow", as Cara adjusts to the situation she finds herself in and reacts quite selfishly to her "world-napping". But then the story starts to move, gaining momentum as Cara moves (is drawn?) inexorably into her "mission", whether she likes it or not.

The development of Cara's character is one of the most beautiful aspects of Seabird. She starts out a 2-dimensional teenager but grows into a mature young lady who has to make some very tough decisions about her life, and the lives of those around her. It speaks volumes about our youth today and addresses the thorny "coming of age" theme with wit, ethos, and passion.

Seabird is easily a four-star read and I urge you to start now, before that stone ball gathers too much momentum!

Recommendation: Good

Originality - 4/5
Writing Style - 4/5
Plot - 5/5
Characters - 5/5
Aesthetics - 4/5

A new epic fantasy in the same vein as the Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings!

(Note: Seabird is also available in two volumes - An Invitation and The Place of Three Tombs)

Cara's life changes forever when she suddenly finds herself in Narenta, a world full of brave knights, noble enchanters, evil sorcerers, and scholarly seabirds. The teenaged Cara is one of the prophesied saviors of this world, but she has no idea what she's supposed to do! Can she find enough faith to carry out her mission before Narenta falls to the armies of the legendary three evil sorcerers?

With humor, realistic characters, a vivid history, tons of surprises, and great pacing, this book can't fail to please any fantasy lover. I especially appreciated the strong and loving manner in which Thompson portrayed the God character, Alphesis.

The only slightly negative thing I can say about this book is that the proofreading could have been a little better. As you read, you will undoubtedly come across a few misspelled or missing words here and there. Still, these little mistakes are not enough to cause a problem, so don't let them distract you too much from the story.

Overall, I'm giving Seabird a solid recommendation of Good and will look forward to reading the sequel, Earthbow.