The Kingdoms & The Elves Of The Reaches (Keeper Martin's Tales , Book 1) (Keeper Martin's Tales Series, Book 1) (Paperback)

by Robert Stanek (Author) "Sunrise loomed across the horizon, pale as jasmine and mostly obscured by dark, feral clouds..." (more)
Key Phrases: sectional commander, lore keeper, dark priests, Robert Stanek, Queen Mother, Captain Brodst (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Dramatic illustrations draw the reader into the Tolkienesque world of Ruin Mist, plunged into darkness after a Great War five hundred years past. Blaming magic for their demise, the Kings of Men have decreed that all things magical be destroyed. Yet despite their efforts, the magical Dark Lord is slowly returning to power. Another bloody battle is foreshadowed for Ruin Mist when Adrina, the spoiled and lonely princess of Imtal, is visited by a mysterious woman who predicts Adrina's ghastly future. Meanwhile in the kingdom of Elves, Seth, devoted First of the Red Order of the Queen Mother Elf, is sent on a journey across the Great Sea to prevent war. Stuck somewhere in the middle is Vilmos, a young magical boy-who-would-be-mage, abducted for his own safety by a Yoda-like guide named Xith. All three journey to an unknown fate against treacherous and sometimes supernatural foes. Stanek augments the beginning of this complex tale with illustrations that are sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike-the only weakness in the illustrations is their scarcity. Stanek will likely draw a cult following, but his work is not for the novice fantasy reader. A complicated glossary at the end includes twenty-two pages of "People, Places, and Things in Ruin Mist," complete with geographical references, family lineages, and extraordinary sketches. Despite the sophisticated plot, however, this cliffhanger guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment. -- VOYA, February 1, 2007

Product Description
All new deluxe edition for 2005! This edition replaces the standard edition and has the same price/ISBN. Features deluxe maps, 20 lavish illustrations, guide to the characters, and more.

Readers everywhere are discovering the works of Robert Stanek. Robert's books are published in over 20 countries around the world and beginning in 2005 the first of many translations will be published.

Recommended Age: 9 and up. Unleash the power of your imagination and enter a world you've never dreamed existed! Best-selling author Robert Stanek delivers an epic fantasy adventure that will open your mind and your heart. Perfect for the young and the young at heart! The Kingdoms & The Elves Of The Reaches is a refreshingly unique fantastic adventure where its only limits are the limits of your imagination.

Inside, you'll discover the breathtaking world of Ruin Mist where the mystical and the magical abound, and you'll fall in love with three heroes: a boy who would become a mage, a princess who is fleeing a dying kingdom, and a warrior elf who undertakes an epic journey. The adventure begins with Book 1.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Reagent Press (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575450593
• ISBN-13: 978-1575450599
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (346 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #376,091 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Maybe a Fourth of a Book, January 28, 2008

By	T. Ambrosini - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Well, to start off, I'll say I was ecstatic when I picked up this book. However, that feeling quickly faded. This is not actually a book, not in the traditional sense of the word anyways. This is the very beginning of a book, a measly two hundred page offering that doesn't even attempt to have some sort of a resolution at the end. I got to the last chapter, sixteen, and said to myself, "Wait, that's it?" By the end of the "book", you only have an inkling of the plot, the setting, and the direction of the story. It's unfortunate if you happen to buy this "book", because you can get an actual book for much less than this. I would recommend Sean Russell's books, or Patrick Rothfuss if you want an actual fantasy book.

Though, this "book" gets two stars for it's decent characters. And I said decent; I don't know why people a praising them as amazing. They are interesting, though they aren't horribly complex, and some the character's, especially those of the elves, feel severely lacking. As for the plot, it's got a few cliched elements in there, and it develops in the least subtle way possibly. Two of the three protagonists are quite literally thrust into the plot, while the third, and most interesting, more or less makes the opportunity herself.

If you buy this "book", you most likely will be dissatisfied with its paltry length and high price. What you get is decent though, and of small quantity, but by no means an extremely deep story with complex characters.

53 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST edition of an amazing book!, March 29, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches (Keeper Martin's Tales, Book 1, Special Illustrated Edition) (Paperback)

I love this series... First things first, you must realize that this is a story about a world in turmoil, but its also about the characters pulled into this chaos. It is a fascinating look into an imaginary world full of wonder. This is book is more of pre-story to the second, third and fourth books, that will give you a base understanding of the main characters in this series, who you will grow to love and care about. This series will draw you in and you will not be able to stop until you have read every book in the series. I this book, but especially because the illustrations are so well done.

72 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, Fantasy at its best, May 6, 2006

By	Roger A. (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kingdoms And The Elves Of The Reaches: Keeper Martin's Tales, Book 1 (Paperback)

The Kingdoms and the Elves is a fantastic fasntasy epic. The only thing that comes close to being nearly as good is Final Fantasy. The author brings lush descriptions that make images of the world jump out of the book and into your head like a a 3-D cinema. The story is great, suspensful, and intruiging. The characters are wonderfully real and they evolve like real people would throughout the novels. They always stay in their character and seem like they really exist. One of the best thing about the books is the cleanness of the battles. The author does not put in any of the gorey stuff that makes you cringe, making reading his books so much more enjoyable. As a series, the books get better and better. This is a great read for readers of all ages and genders, and if you perfer an audio alternative, these novels are availible in audio. So don't miss this great series