Shoot The Muse! Category:  Fantasy Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press Type: Fiction Pages: 720 Copyright: August 8, 2007 ISBN-13: 9781601680389 Tamsen de Asphodel is a girl caught between two worlds. Each half of her life contradicts the other. But when the gods have a wager, she must find a way to reconcile not only herself but the world around her. If she doesn't, an entire race will be destroyed. The Reckoning of Asphodel by Celina Summers **** A week later, another dawn rose upon Leselle, an orange-red sun shining angrily on the golden boughs of the city. Elven families started the long, slow descent in small groups, huddled around the wagons and carts they had assembled in the days before. These carts were piled high with heirlooms, treasures, and the old or infirm. Children dashed around the clearing, laughing. To them it was some great adventure, a chance to see the world they had been forbidden to enter. The army came together more rigidly, grim-faced warriors side by side with the youths whom we had hastily given their coming of age ceremonies the night before. All of them had the long, slender bows of the Elven warrior slung across their backs and wore the hard, leather armor that had not been seen since the cessation of the Elfwars. More revealing, most of them wore swords at their sides. Only in war did these swords appear. The army trained with swords, Brial had informed me, but did not include them with their gear. Unless the Elves were at war, the hated blades remained stored away. Beron organized the soldiers, his armor glowing in the morning sun. Unlike the rest of the army, the Ka’breona men wore shining armor, similar to that of the knights. It was lighter than human plate armor, but the sight was striking in the early morning light. So they came while we watched, and the stream of Elves coalescing in the lower parts of the glade grew thick and black. Brial was with his father and brothers, bow slung over his armored shoulder and I longed to join them. My place, however, was to direct the shocked families of Elves who looked to me for guidance. Lamec glanced at me now and again as I stood, wrapped in an authority I hadn’t wished to assume, quietly watching the events taking place before me. We ran one last sweep through the deserted city, checking for stragglers and rousting a few out. When all were assembled, Lamec came to me, his face grave. “We have decided to release the guardians,” he said. “Then we will be ready to leave.” So I watched, from the edges of the forest where I had positioned myself at the front of the evacuation, as fifty or so Elven Elders positioned themselves at the base of the gigantic trees. They laid their hands upon the broad trunks. The trees gave an immense shudder, as if they had been hit by one of the swift, swirling storms that plagued the southern part of the continent. The Elven mages at the base of the grove turned and ran. For some time, the city trembled, the smaller branches whipping as if in a great wind. A sound rumbled over us. Then, Leselle literally ripped itself apart. The interwoven branches that formed the larger platforms shredded from the trunks, which tumbled to the earth with a huge crash. The immense roots that were the system of streets disentangled themselves to plunge, writhing, back into the earth. I watched, stunned, as the tops of the great trees swayed and then imploded, crumbling straight down to the ground, crushing the beautiful homes of Leselle systematically as they fell. As the structure of the city disintegrated, an immense cloud of dust billowed from the bases of the trees. The force of its collapse blasted over us like a great wind. Then, the falling colossal oak trees shuddered once more and wrenched themselves apart with a violence that knocked most of us to the ground. Leselle was no more. The Elves did not weep. They watched the destruction of their only haven and then turned to me as they hoisted their packs and picked up the yokes of their carts. I forced back my tears and entered the forest. Groups of scouts ranged around us, searching the forest relentlessly for signs of the enemy. I stayed at the head of the oddly-silent column. Even the smallest of the children knew how to keep quiet in the forest. As we traveled, I felt a wild, proud joy in them. Heads held high, their faces solemn in their beauty; the Elves departed their homelands without a cry of regret. A lone Ka’breona piper began to trill a solemn, delicate tune and the Elves sang a paean to the gods of the forest. It was beautiful, and heartbreaking, but many of the Elves lifted their feet with a greater will after the hymn began to soar through the limbs of ruined Leselle. It was on that long, sad march with the whole of the Elven nation at my heels that I first felt the tug of my Elven heritage upon my heart. When we had traveled to Leselle, I was a human trying to help the Elves in a war they didn’t know had started. After the destruction of Leselle, I was an Elf who led her people from their sanctuary of centuries into the world ranged against them. * * * *   Excerpt "For every blessing of the gods, there is a reckoning. Thus do the gods test us..."

My Shelf
Young Tamsen de Asphodel, in the opening sequences of this novel, witnesses the murder of her parents and the destruction of all she holds dear at the hands of her uncle - an obviously powerful and cruel mage. When next the reader meets Tamsen she is no longer a young child and is traveling with her foster family into the heart of the Elvin realm - the stronghold of a people who have ample reason to distrust and despise Tamsen and all the rest of humankind. But Tamsen is not only human she is also half-elf and, unbeknownst to her, royalty as well.
Thus begins what could possibly be but one in a sea of fantasy novels for young adults. What makes this tale rise high on the tide, at least for this reader - an admitted fantasy purist - is two-fold. Most importantly, Celina Summers maintains supreme control of an archetypal fantasy story structure while making the tale fresh and engaging enough for even the most diehard fantasy reader. She weaves a tale that is both familiar and unexpected; because she remains so true to the genre, readers can trust her to lead them to explore untried paths in a familiar fantasy landscape. In addition, the author brings to life a fresh young female protagonist who is strong, passionate, and unquestionably believable. Not once does Celina Summers take the easy and predictable path and allow Tamsen to become a stock character. Rather, she continues to develop an exasperating, exciting, and enchanting young woman whom the reader comes to love and champion.

The Reckoning of Asphodel is a book to delight both those who revel in fantasy and those who are new to the genre. For the fantasy purist the book is a delightful new foray into already familiar territory - it will not disappoint. For the fantasy novice it is combination of adventure, romance, combat, deception and intrigue set in new landscape which all readers will anticipate returning to as Celina Summers continues the saga of Asphodel.


Novelspot
The Reckoning of Asphodel, by Celina Summers, is traditional high fantasy, with chivalric knights and wood-wise elves, beautiful princesses and wise female seers, good and evil sorcerers and magicians. It's written in the language typical of the genre. It is, however, much better written, with more complex characters and situations, than many similar books. This is a serious fantasy novel, not the verbal equivalent of a computer game.

This is the first book in a new fantasy series, unnamed, set in the world of Asphodel, a divided world of two peoples, human and elves, who view each other with suspicion as a result of the Elfwars. Elves have retreated to the forest. Less prolific and less war-like than humans, they are a diminishing people. Tamsen Ka'antiro de Asphodel, heroine of the series, half-elf, and half-human, must unite the two peoples in an attempt to save both.

The book opens as twelve-year-old Tamsen sees her half-uncle destroy her home and kill her father. Her mother uses the last of her magical power to conceal Tamsen and tells her half-brother that Tamsen will destroy him. He kills his sister and destroys most of the family castle.

Tamsen escapes into the forest and conceals her flight by her first use of her magical powers - she raises a great storm, something neither elven magic users nor human mages can do. She is rescued in the forest by Kaldarte the Seer, one of Tamsen's elven kindred.

Kaldarte and her husband, Ar’ami Ka’antira, a powerful Forest Lord, take Tamsen into their household and raise her with their granddaughters Liliath and Ctenne. The three girls learn to use their elven magic together. A human mage, Hygrem, is brought to the household to instruct her in the use of her human mage ability.

At the age of eighteen, Tamsen and the Ka'antira family go to Leselle, the city of elves. There, Tamsen undergoes ritual testing and becomes a legal adult. She learns she is a princess of Ka'antira and one of the heirs to the elven throne. She is also heir to her father's lands, Asphodel.

Tamsen, possessing both elven and human magic, a member of royalty among both peoples, leaves the forest accompanied by her elven guard Brial. Aided by Brial and Anner de Ceollliune a human noble and warrior, Tamsen begins her task of uniting the elven and human worlds. It is a world that is changing, and the leading character, Tamsen Ka'antira de Asphodel, attempts to save what is best in Aspodel while attempting to defeat those who destroy it.

Summers has created a complex and colorful world inhabited by equally complex and colorful characters. Minor as well as major figures are quirky and individual. The dressmaker, Myrielle, advising Tamsen on using proper dress as a woman's weapon is clever, funny and down to earth - a good supporting character.

The book is written as a first person narrative, from Tamsen's point of view. This has some real disadvantages. While it makes Tamsen more understandable, we have a restricted view of the world of some other major characters. Her half-uncle, for example: we know he's a powerful mage, a skillful powerful politician, a murderer, and he hates elves, including his half-sister and Tamsen - why? The half-uncle is a cardboard villain and, were we not restricted to Tasmen's viewpoint, he could become a more rounded character.

In general, the language and style are effective - it works well in the prelude, for example, where Tamsen is reviewing her past, seeing how she has become what she is.

"Memory is a chancy thing, and I must rely upon mine to tell me what came to pass out there in my father’s orchard. Ultimately, the remembrance brought me nothing but the thought of death and the taste of fear..."

The style is less effective in other sections of the book.

Summers uses very formal, restricted language to suggest a hierarchical, traditional society. She uses more colloquial language to suggest "common folk" or family. Summers is seriously concerned with writing as well as plot, character, and setting. I think, however, that the book would have benefited from a harsher editor: "Yes, dearie, it's a lovely sentiment and very pretty words. Cut it." Chivalric eloquence is a seasoning, not a major ingredient of the dish.

The style reminds me a bit of Hope Mirrlees' Lud-in-the-Mist. I found it, in places, irritating. But I'm rather like Merry and Pippin, contemplating Aragorn as the High King. I can live at those heights only so long.

I like the book,with a few reservations. The reservations are minor enough that I intend to read the next three volumes. Will you like the book The Reckoning of Asphodel? If you like Tolkien and enjoy dressing up and going to Medieval fayres, you'll probably like it. If you sneer at the spelling 'fayre' and love Elizabeth Moon, you probably won't.

Reviewed By Wenonah Lyon
© December 2007



Love Romances & More
Tamsen never expected to witness the murder of her parents’ right before her eyes. With that single event, her life changed forever, especially knowing the person who caused it all. With the help of the elves, Tamsen plotted and waited to get her revenge and now the stakes are higher. Can Tamsen get her long awaited reckoning done or will she fall under the power of the murderer who killed her parents? THE RECKONING OF ASPHOLDEL is here!

Author Celina Summers debut novel is full of characters that will call to to you, even as you sleep; a story that haunts you and a world so magical it comes to you in your dreams. THE RECKONING OF ASPHODEL is a master piece in word building, character building and delivering a story so complex and heart felt, the reader is caught up in it all until the last page is read.

Be introduced to Tamsen, a woman who has two parts: one before her parents’ murder and the second after their murder. With each page, Ms. Summers delves deeper into the mind of a young woman, who is haunted by that fateful day and is determined to bring justice to the one person who caused it all. The reader will be drawn to the pain, determination and power this woman wields and hones, like a fine blade. Author Celina Summers delivers a complex portrait of a woman haunted by a single event and the determination to have her revenge at whatever the cost.

THE RECKONING OF ASPHODEL is a wonderfully complex story that lures the reader in and delivers a fast pace ride that leaves you breathless. All this reviewer could do was hanging on for the ride! New author Celina Summers delivers a stunning novel that captures the readers’ attention on the first page and never lets up until the last page is turned. With each page, get ready for a pulse pounding ride as you journey with Tamsen on her quest for vengeance and find out that sometimes life has other plans for you! Run to grab this wonderfully told story and be lost amid the pages of Celina Summers new debut novel, THE RECKONING OF ASPHODEL!