CHILDREN OF AMARID

Book 1 of the Lon Tobyn Chronicles

by DAVID B. COE

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<>HR> THE CHILDREN OF AMARID is a coming of age story in the vein of Raymond Feist's MAGICIAN APPRENTICE, Jordan's EYE OF THE WORLD, and Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS. It is not as powerful of any of these, but it is a very entertaining book, very good for a first novel from this new writer. I look forward to the sequels.

Jaryd is (unknown to him as the book opens) the latest Hawk-Mage in a long line of mages. His uncle Baden sponsors his membership into the brotherhood of mages that has served the land of Tobyn-Ser for a millennium.

But as one would expect, all is not well in the land or in the brotherhood. There is a small invasion group from a foreign land that is masquerading as mages of the brotherhood, and committing atrocities throughout Tobyn-Ser. And there may be a renegade mage within the brotherhood itself.

Jaryd comes into his powers quickly, and is a key figure in learning the truth about what is happening, aided by Baden and a few other allies.

It is all-in-all a very entertaining book, and while it probably won't become a classic, it is worth your time if you enjoy this genre. The Sequel :

THE OUTLANDERS Order the book!! HARDBACK -- -- -- Order the book!! PAPERBACK

Is even better, although it has a different tenor; It is "harder", more Urban- More like Laura Croft than like Lord of the Rings. Taking place a year or so after The Children of Amarid, The Outlanders is the story of the Mage Orris (who was an ally of Jaryd and Baden in the first book) is convinced that the only way to prevent future war is to journey to Lon-Ser and talk with the leaders. Meanwhile, the Order of Mages is split apart due to political in-fighting.

While on his Journey, Orris meets several interesting people, some tough and heroic, some gentle and heroic and a whole lot of really nasty folk.