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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Review and Giveaway: Pan's Conquest by Aubrie Dionne

REVIEW

It is well known that an excellent source for our day Fantasy literature is the mythology of different nations. The myths, created insofar to explain the misunderstood phenomena, to motivate good choices or wrong, but also to warn and impose certain behavior, have enchanted the minds (imagination) and the souls of many generations. But most mythological tales have a tragic end, at least for one of the parties involved. This same case is in the story of Pan and the nymph Syrinx, where in the trying to escape the advances of the lover boy Pan, she’s turned into a hollow water reeds that made a haunting sound when the god’s frustrated breath blew across them, plants from which Pan, in memory of the nymph, will fashion the first set of pan pipes, which were thenceforth known as syrinx.

Aubrie Dionne summoned up courage and removed the injustice of sacrifice of Syrinx, giving the two a chance at a new life even if not to love. Hereby, Syrinx will not be transformed into water reeds, but she will take refuge in the human world, always hiding from Pan and his attempts to seduce her.

Using the freedom given by the constant differences existing from mythological stories, Aubrie Dionne will accentuate the gap between Syrinx and Pan giving them opposite meanings, for what could be put on more opposite positions than the Fertility God and Goddess of Chastity? It is obvious that the starting point is an exciting one, and the author manages to keep the paranormal romance reader's curiosity along the whole story through the addition of other amorous preoccupied characters or not by our heroes, a danger and suspense, even a slight thriller note at sometimes. The humor strained here and there, in the right places, will only be a plus point.

I liked the subtle way in which are identified several kinds of love and / or behaviors in love. From the infatuation of a ladies man and the amusement of the conquest (love hunting) to refusing to admit feelings that you try and to find a way to entwine what you choose to be and what you evidently feel, between unrequited love and its possible consequences in depending on the person who loves, from the filial love to the most disinterested love of your neighbor.

I appreciated that Aubrie Dionne succeeds without the use of intimate scenes to create the necessary tension of the love story, as far abundant to highlight the existence of real feelings and to demarcate the right from wrong.

The author manages to preserve that atmosphere characteristic of myth in conditions that are obvious the influences of modern fantasy literature, keeping and feeding equally the reader's desire to find out more and more. Her style is a fluent one, the pages flow easily, the plot takes place naturally and I found that I enjoyed reading the story in of which the fruition of the second chance offered by life (or by the gods) depends solely on how the characters see them within themselves and by the choices they have to make considering what they are or what define them and by the honesty to themselves.

About the author:
Aubrie grew up watching the original Star Wars movies over and over again until she could recite and reenact every single scene in her backyard. She also loved The Goonies, Star Trek the Next Generation-favorite character was Data by far-, and Indiana Jones. But, her all time favorite movie was The Last Unicorn. She still wonders why the unicorn decided to change back to a unicorn in the end.

Aubrie wrote in her junior high yearbook that she wanted to be "A concert flutist" when she grew up. When she made that happen, she decided one career was not enough and embarked as a fantasy, sci fi author. Two careers seems to keep her busy. For now.

Now for the professional bio:

Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She recently signed her YA sci fi novel with Inkspell Publishing titled: Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed, which will release in October 2012. When she's not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras. She's a big Star Trek TNG fan, as well as Star Wars and Serenity.


Author's US Giveaway
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10 comments:

Aubrie said...

Thank you for hosting me and for the great review! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Sam said...

Great review, I will def. be reading it soon! Thanks for the chance!

Tonja Drecker said...

I've enjoyed reading several of Aubrie's books. So glad to see another great sounding release. Congratulations, Aubrie!

Candace said...

Thanks so much for hosting a tour stop! So glad you enjoyed it!

Gaelicark said...

Looking forward to reading this!

Unknown said...

The book looks great.

devynsmom95@yahoo.com

Fayth97 said...

Thank you so much for sharing Aubrie Dionne's books w/us, & for hosting the interview/giveaway!!

Maidenveil said...

This is fantastic!

Jolene and Family said...

Thanks for the amazing giveaway and chance to win

Unknown said...

looks like a great read, and thank you for the giveaway too!