Not Your Father's Horseman [Paperback]

Valerie Griswold-Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

Earth is a Balanced Land – Shadow Magic and Light Magic interweave to form a world where magic is known of, but not well. Most of the population figures that magic is some form of technological trick – a misconception the Council of Nine encourages. Earth is also the meeting place for the other Lands – the Shadow Lands and the Dawn Lands both have enclaves scattered about its surface, keeping all the Lands in Balance. Shadow Lords, Earth Lords and Dawn Lords – all work to keep the Balance steady. Or that’s the rumor. In actuality, the Shadow Lord Andreas is working to disrupt the Balance, shift it towards him so that all the Lands fall into Shadow, giving him more power than anyone ever imagined. However, the Starchild stands poised to take it all away – to stand against her, he and the Dawn Lord Kymara are attempting to breed super soldiers, an army of Shadow-born warriors that will lead him to victory. But something goes wrong. The experiments are destroyed, and the first set of his soldiers disappears into the darkness, carried in the wombs of the two breeders they had. Now, twenty-three years later, Andreas is set to try again, with new breeders and a new companion by his side. And yet, once again, there are those who have come to stop him, most notably Nikki Jeffries, a young woman with a shadowed past and an uncertain future. Now the clock is ticking. If Nikki and her friends cannot stop Andreas from completing his experiments, the Council of Nine and the Starchild will have no choice but to reset the Balance utterly, wiping out everything and starting anew. But with the rumor running that the Four Horsemen have already been summoned and unleashed on the Earth, will they have time to stop him, before chaos envelops them all?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Growing up in a household filled with books, it's only reasonable that Valerie Griswold-Ford had her first novel penned at the tender age of 7. Since then, she's graduated to the real world of writing: now, at age 30, she has five years of journalism under her belt, as well as a chapter in The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy. The Fantasy Writer's Companion is her first co-editing position, and her debut novel Not Your Father's Horseman, a dark fantasy take on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, is due out from Dragon Moon Press in July 2005. Val lives in Merrimack, NH with her husband and their psychotic Siamese Max.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Dragon Moon Press (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1896944272
• ISBN-13: 978-1896944272
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,489,985 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Head's up, folks, Valerie Griswold-Ford is here!, August 9, 2005

By 

Tee Morris (Bristow, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not Your Father's Horseman (Paperback)

I was thrilled when Valerie asked me to give her debut novel, NOT YOUR FATHER'S HORSEMAN, a quote. From the original version I had read, I knew this book would be a winner...

Just finishing the novel this morning, all I can say is "Head's up, folks, Valerie Griswold-Ford is here, and she is taking no prisoners!"

Valerie Griswold-Ford's debut novel is part techno-thriller with sinister forces hard at work in genetically generating super soldiers of tomorrow, part dark fantasy as these super soldiers are actually part of a higher plan to resurrect the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She creates a believable alternative reality where magic exists openly and interacts with the world on a daily basis, provided the Balance is maintained. This world is so convincing that you begin to sweat a bit whenever that Balance is threatened. Along with earnest concern, Valerie evokes other emotions with every page, with every scene, and with every character's action. You are a bit disappointed that this book has to end.

With NOT YOUR FATHER'S HORSEMAN, Valerie Griswold-Ford has announced her arrival to the Fantasy genre. It is an arrival that will have you asking her, "That was cool. So...what's next?"

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars., December 29, 2005

By 

AK "Bro" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not Your Father's Horseman (Paperback)

Learning that she is adopted is only one of the first of many shocks that Nikki Jefferies will encounter in the days ahead. Her dreams have taken on a strange realness that is prfoundly disturbing, though that experience does pan in with her current writing project, a book on haunted houses. As she sets up in one purportedly haunted inn, the mysteries only deepen. Each answer she finds raises more questions. She discovers she might be a powerful Shadowmage, but her aura has hints of all the magics. Moreover, a ghost wants to draw Nikki into the Shadow world, and will stop at nothing to bring her there. As her heritage unfolds, Nikki is given the duty to restore the balance between worlds. The Horsemen of the Appocolypse are coming, but is the world ready for them?

*** Although the viewpoint shifts are rather poorly done and the novel is perhaps too condensed; it feels as if some details are lacking, this is an enjoyable read. Ghosts with a reality that is hard to differentiate from true reality is a seldom used, but always intriguing concept. Science and fantasy blending in a world is always interesting. If the series continues, then perhaps some of the more meager details will be fleshed out and make fuzzy points clearer. ***

Amanda Killgore

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent first book, November 27, 2005

By 

Joshua Johnston "future bestseller" (Tacoma, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Not Your Father's Horseman (Paperback)

Nikki Jeffries has a lot going on at present; she experiences a strangely *real* dream and then finds out she's adopted shortly before leaving for an extended trip spent researching for a book on ghosts and haunted houses. An unexpectedly real brush with the paranormal triggers her induction into the world of magic. Along the way, she finds out who she really is, and her role in maintaining the Balance.

There are a few flaws in the book, but they're all small and do not detract at all from enjoying it. In a couple spots, the POV switch is a little confusing, and there are the inevitable copy errors that managed to get through despite everyone's best efforts.

The world is fresh and intriguing, and you find yourself eagerly awaiting the next book at the end. Valerie manages to capture your attention and write with clarity and style. You will not regret purchasing this book.