Kindle Edition Amazon Trafford publishing Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Trafford Publishing ISBN-10:  1412054222 Type: Fiction Pages: 206 Copyright: 2004-2005 ISBN-13: 9781412054225 Price: $3.99 (eBook) (World of Zaylyn #1 is INCLUDED in book #2 as a DOUBLE-VOLUME) (On AuthorsDen Read up to Chapter 5!!) The World of Zaylyn is a world of humans, elves, dwarves, fairy folk, centaurs, dragons, dragon-like humanoids, goblins, trolls, shape shifters, and many others yet to be discovered. With warriors, thieves, wizards, treasure, magic, strange creatures, danger, and adventure, this world is never dull. Evil, malicious creatures have entered into this world to do the bidding of an insane wizard, but can he control these beasts as he believes, and for what purpose? As the creatures slaughter his entire village, Vordin, narrowly escapes. He's told that the evil wizard has to be slain by the Sword of Anthrowst in order to send the creatures back to where they came from. Two thieves, an elf and her human companion, join Vordin in the quest as does an amateur wizard. The mysterious being they encounter, half human and half spider, is she friend or foe? Will they fall prey to the horrid evil monsters, trapped in a web of spells and ripped to pieces by huge dagger-like teeth and claws? How are they to even find this sword, wherever it may be, and the wizard for whom they only know a name? Encountering a mischievous fairy queen and her followers, vicious monsters, giant spiders within ancient underground passages, bounty hunters after the two thieves, plus so much more. Could there be bandits within the forest or a werewolf lurking about as a few believe? Worst of all, is the presence of a mysterious and evil vampiric being with immense power, called simply The Black Shadow. If he had a hand in this group coming together, what purpose does he intend for them? He wants them to complete their quest, saving Zaylyn from the wizard and his army of creatures, but why, especially when he could easily take care of the problem himself?       Excerpt Book #1 (only) Chapters: 66 Word count: 157,873 page size 19 cm by 26 cm. (2019 page size changed to 6x9 inches) ---- Note #1+2 double volume available -------------- (World of Zaylyn #1 is included with book #2) (book #1: 66 chapters, book #2: 85 chapters) Chapters: 151 total 312,879 words total together page size 19cm by 26 cm. (2019 page size changed to 6x9 inches) --------------------- ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY FROM WEBSITE: Review/Comments from those entered on website by readers: ********** =>Favorite characters: The fairy queen + Nexzath / Comments: It's really good ***************************************************************** =>Favorite character: The fairy queen / Comments: good ******************************************************************* =>Age: 50 - 59 yrs / Favorite characters: Dendrox + Nodwel / Favorite chapters: “The Scissors” and “The Bounty Hunters” / Comments: very imaginative. The characters of Dendrox, Nodwel, and Candra are very well developed and seem realistic ******************************************************************* =>Age: 50 - 59 yrs / Favorite character: Weena / Comments: a trip into fantasy, everyone should read it ****************************************************************** =>Age: 14 - 19 yrs / Favorite character: The Black Shadow / Comments: great story and holds your interest ****************************************************************** =>Age: 20 - 29 yrs / Favorite character: Dendrox ****************************************************************** =>Age: 70 and up yrs / Favorite character: Vordin / Comments: very well written and draws reader into the story **************************************************************** =>Age: 70 and up yrs / Comments: impressed that the characters have so much dimension even to their thoughts and dreams. I visualize the people and events rather than just seeing words. It's very good and I had a hard time putting it down. I can hardly wait to read #2 ******************************************************************* =>Age: 50 - 60 yrs / Comments: I don't normally read fantasy, but I found it to be excellent and I recommend others to read it. ****************************************************************** =>Age: 20 - 29 yrs / Comments: Hey! I finished your books the other day. They were great! I couldn't hardly put it down. Most of the time I would find myself reading your book until 1:30 or so in the morning. Or worse I would find myself reading the book instead of studying for an upcoming exam :) Considering I'm in college that is practically every week. I really enjoyed reading your books and I can't wait to read the third one. I can't thank you enough for sending me your books so I could explore the world of zaylyn. Thanks again. Bye!! P.S. Do you have a guess on when #3 will come out or be finished. Thanks. I hope your book sells wonderfully. Later! ***************************************************************** = > Age: 20 - 29 yrs / favorite characters: Asdella + Blandorf / comments: i hate to read, almost as much as i hate to type, so the fact that this books is making me do both is suprizing. but at least it had a nice physcodic half naked warrior chick was nice. every time she's mentioned; you can look forward to someone eating her sword >^.^< ... then there's blandorf... well he's a gargoyle ( o.O)" .. need i say more? if so... " TOO BAD!! " _l_ ( @.@) _l_ read the book :P *************************************

Writer's Digest judge's commentary
(of book #1 only)

Category: Genre Fiction

(Scale 1-5 poor=1 excellent=5)
Plot:4
Grammar:5
Character development:4
Cover design:5

= Writer's Digest judge's commentary:

== The cover is intriguing. I was particularly curious about the cloaked figure on the left-hand side of the picture. The author has clearly drawn a vivid word picture of the setting and characters in her book, Quest for the Sword of Anthrowst. This story of the forces of good and evil is strongly told, with sympathetic characters and obvious villians. The dialogue is interesting and for the most part natural. The narrative is written in a very clear, straightforward manner. The author's voice is strong and consistent, with intersting word choices and clever phrases.

Writer's Digest judge's commentary
Category: Mainstream/Literary Fiction

= Writer's Digest judge's commentary:

== The author has taken a great deal of care to create this unique world. It's obvious that the author is well-versed in fantasy literature and is approaching it from the perspective of creating a world like ones created by Tolkien and Robert Jordan and even George Lucas.

Writer's Digest judge's commentary
(of Book #1 + 2)

= Writer's Digest judge's commentary:

== The author has a talent for characterization, making clear the distinctions among various characters by their speech patterns, word choice and tone. For example, Vordin speaks/thinks in a halting, childlike manner at the beginning of the book, before his bildungsroman has commenced ("I'm a selfish coward. I was frightened. I panicked. I ran and hid...."). Shadow, on the other hand, speaks in complex sentences, with a much more sophisticated vocabulary ("He expects you to act in a similar manner to a certain degree. He will know instantly if you become attracted even in the slightest to another and will probably accept it, as long as you don't compare, or judge, or feel you must trade one love for another."). I'm impressed by the fact that once the reader becomes more familiar with the characters and the tone of each, it's often clear who's talking, even without dialogue tags. That's impressive, because effective dialogue can be a challenge.

( of Book #1 + 2)

Category: Middle-Grade/Young Adult Books

(scale 1-5 poor=1 excellent=5)
Plot:4
Grammar:4
Character development:4
Cover design:2

= Writer's Digest judge's commentary:

== If you like "Lord of the Rings" type fantasy, you will like this book. Actually, this was 2 volumes in one. The story was complicated. there are lots of characters, human, elf, creatures, etc. Ms. Mandrake-Johnston has put together a wide sweeping world and populated with many diverse characters. There is a quest and evil to outrun or defeat. For the genre, it was well done and well conceived.