This one was offered to me as a review request, and while I normally don’t have time these days, the summary of this one sounded really good, and so I made an exception.
Thank you to the author, as well as Amplify Publishing for the review copy.
This collection of seven short stories invites you to the Kingdom of Imlay, a coastal realm still full of magic and mythical creatures great and small. A variety of characters, from inquisitive Ya to precocious Aurora to an ambitious, future-seeking King, must confront major decisions that will have an impact on those dear to them.
All the while, they face the necessity of making personal sacrifices for the larger good, unleash the power of truth to push through harmful intent, call forth magic to help others, and pick between other potential future existences. Original and poignant, these tales will challenge the intellect and enlarge the imagination.
This is a book of short stories that all take place in the world of Imlay, where we see stories from seven different points of view. First we start with The River Keeper, which gives us a first look at the world where a giant river makes its way across it. The river is sick though, as Ya, a young girl in a village on the river finds out. Her mother and a few others from the village go in search of the fabled River Keeper, but Ya heads out after them, knowing in her gut that something is going to go wrong.
The seven stories were quick to read, and some of them where quite engaging. I can’t say I was in love with all of them, but they were certainly unique. There is one story where a dog plots to take away a farmer’s farm, a story where a King can see two days in the future, a story where an evil witch takes children and adults away from each other and makes them forget.
All told, I thought that The River Keeper and Other Tales was a great afternoon of reading. The world was interesting, with its different kinds of magic, talking animals, powerful rings, and costly spells. I had 4/5 stars of fun with this collection of stories!
It comes out today (February 18th) so you should check it out if you like anthologies!
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