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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Review Talisman of El by Alecia Stone Blog Tour and Giveaway

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.

Two Worlds.

Population: Human ... 7 billion.

Others ... unknown.

When 14-year-old Char­lie Blake wakes up sweat­ing and gasp­ing for air in the mid­dle of the night, he knows it is hap­pen­ing again. This time he wit­nesses a bru­tal mur­der. He's afraid to tell any­one. No one would believe him ... because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago - the day before his dad died.

Char­lie doesn't know why this is hap­pen­ing. He would give any­thing to have an ordi­nary life. The prob­lem: he doesn't belong in the world he knows as home.

 My review:
LIFE SUCKS, AND THEN you die – or become King of Arcadia, Ruler of the earth kingdom.
I read the book almost a year ago and I know that it made me look forward to the next two books in the trilogy and am a little sad that on the Goodreads the title are not even past. When rereading the book for this tour, I noted with pleasure that I love it in the same measure now, after a year of reading fiction, fantasy stories.
Derkein sighed and said, ‘So, in hindsight, my father started the apocalypse.’
The prologue is stoking the reader’s curiosity, and that curiosity will only increase with the first chapter. What has to do the 14 years old kid, who seems that finally found his place, with that guy from prologue, Derkin, guy that you’ll want to be one of the main character? But as the author serves you plot twists, so she offers some explanations. It remains to see for yourself what it is about: coincidence, game of chance or predestination.
‘My dad once said that destiny is something we choose to go after, and fate is something that happens to us. Fate might have brought us together, but destiny is what keeps us together.’
The author does a good fantasy composition with mythology, superstitions and especially Christian ideals or rather universal ones. Nothing is exaggerated or out of place. This original, fantastic mix is a pleasure for the reader’s senses and creates the right atmosphere to find about the ultimate goal of those who sacrifice everything for the people they love.
‘It’s what the Arcadians call the Tree of Life,’ Tom said. ‘Arthur had overheard his captors talking about it. They claim that whoever finds Sephirah gets their heart’s deepest desire.
Then it speaks about maturity, taking decisions and making choices, finding your place in the world and about the need to know who you are and where you come from.

If you make assumptions, be ready to accept that you were wrong. What is look to be good can actually be bad and vice versa. Good thing is that the protagonists have enough imagination or they are lucky enough to succeed in their journey they were thrown themselves head first, each of them trying to escape of something or to find something.
‘My dad used to say that life was all about taking chances. If it wasn’t for you’ – he locked eyes with Charlie – ‘I wouldn’t be where I am now. At this point, we have nothing to lose. So let’s do it. Let’s see where the compass leads us.’
Alecia Stone’s book made me remember Mark Twain and his books full of adventure and joy. That's because the adventure, the courage or unconsciousness of the young heroes and their funny lines can be found at every step in Talisman of El.

In short, if you want adventure in Mark Twain’s style and mysteries typical to Indiana Jones, but original still, a pixie dust of romance (guys are just unable to realize what is happening around them regardless of their age!), lessons of life and growing up in the most pleasant way, then you must choose to read the Talisman of El. I say that you will not be sorry.
‘Would someone say something?’ said Charlie. ‘This isn’t good,’ Alex said. ‘Would someone else say something?’
Tour Schedule
LIFE SUCKS, AND THEN you die – or become King of Arcadia, Ruler of the earth kingdom
Am citit cartea acum aproape un an şi ştiu că m-a făcut să aştept cu nerăbdare următoarele două volume şi sunt un pic tristă că pe Goodreads nici măcar nu au trecut titlul. Retrecând prin carte pentru acest tur, am constatat cu plăcere că îmi place la fel de mult şi acum după un an plin de lecturi fantastice.
Derkein sighed and said, ‘So, in hindsight, my father started the apocalypse.’
Prologul îți zgândăre rău curiozitatea care o dată cu primul capitol nu face decât să crească. Ce are de a face puştiul de 14 ani care pare că în sfârşit şi-a găsit locul cu tipul din prolog, Derkin, pe care l-ai vrea personaj principal? Dar aşa cum autoarea îți serveşte răsturnări de situații, aşa îți va oferi şi unele explicații. Rămâne să vedeți voi despre ce este vorba: coincidență, joc al sorții sau predestinare.
‘My dad once said that destiny is something we choose to go after, and fate is something that happens to us. Fate might have brought us together, but destiny is what keeps us together.’
Autoarea reuşeşte un bun amestec fantastic cu elemente de mitologie, superstiții şi mai ales idealuri creştine sau mai bine zis universale. Acest amestec îmbracă haine originale, fantastice, plăcute simțurilor cititorului. Nimic nu este exagerat sau nelalocul lui. Este vorba de atmosfera şi de scopul suprem al acelora ce sacrifică totul pentru cei pe care îi iubesc.
‘It’s what the Arcadians call the Tree of Life,’ Tom said. ‘Arthur had overheard his captors talking about it. They claim that whoever finds Sephirah gets their heart’s deepest desire.
Apoi este vorba de maturizare, de luarea unor decizii şi facerea unor alegeri, de găsirea locului tău în lume şi de necesitatea de a şti cine eşti şi de unde vii.

Dacă faceți presupuneri, fiți gata să acceptați că ați greşit. Ce este bun poate fi în realitate rău şi invers. Bine că protagoniştii au destulă imaginație sau destul noroc să reuşească în călătoria lor în care s-au aruncat cu capul înainte, fiecare încercând să fugă de ceva sau să găsească ceva.
‘My dad used to say that life was all about taking chances. If it wasn’t for you’ – he locked eyes with Charlie – ‘I wouldn’t be where I am now. At this point, we have nothing to lose. So let’s do it. Let’s see where the compass leads us.’
Cartea Aleciei Stone m-a făcut să-mi aduc aminte de Mark Twain şi de cărțile lui pline de aventură şi voioşie. Asta pentru că aventura, cutezanța sau inconştiența tinerilor eroi, dar şi replicile lor haioase se regăsesc din plin în Talismanul lui El.

Pe scurt, dacă vreți aventură de tip Mark Twain şi mistere de tip Indiana Jones, DAR originale, un praf de idilă (băieții sunt la fel incapabili să-şi dea seama ce se întâmplă în jurul lor indiferent de vârstă!!), lecții de viață şi maturizare date în cel mai plăcut mod, atunci alegeți Talismanul lui El. Eu zic că nu vă va părea rău.
‘Would someone say something?’ said Charlie. ‘This isn’t good,’ Alex said. ‘Would someone else say something?’


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Author Alecia Stone

Alecia Stone is the author of Talisman Of El (Centrinian, 2012), the first book in the Talisman Of El trilogy. She graduated with a BA in Film & TV and has worked in television for a short period of time before branching out into storytelling. Alecia loves anything and everything paranormal. Her fascination with all things supernatural sparked her obsession with books, particularly young adult fantasy fiction, which she has never grown out of. She was inspired to become an author after reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen at the age of fourteen.

In 2008, Alecia started working on Talisman Of El, a contemporary young adult fantasy fiction inspired by people who disappeared mysteriously, including, but not limited to, Amelia Earhart and Percy Harrison Fawcett, who went on an expedition in search of an ancient lost city. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys going to the movies, listening to music, and travelling.

Talisman Of El is her first novel. At present, Alecia lives in England, United Kingdom with her family.

Blog Tour Giveaway
3 Print copies of Talisman of El
Open Internationally
Ends 2/18/13
The giveaway was organized by the author and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer!
Concursul este organizat de catre autor si I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
a Rafflecopter giveaway

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for having me today. Love the review :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Alecia The pleasure is all mine; I can not wait to read the next books in series

    ReplyDelete