Click here to buy this book! Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Download from Smashwords (eBook) Amazon Lulu Barnes & Noble.com Fantasy by Richard S. Tuttle Category:  Fantasy Publisher: KBS ISBN-10:  1438211317 Type: Fiction Pages: 190 Copyright: 2002 ISBN-13: 9781438211312 They call themselves the Alcea Rangers. Two fisherboys from Lorgo, a mage boy and his mage girlfriend from Trekum, and a mysterious girl from nowhere, these are the Collapse Children who dare to change the world. One of them is heir to the throne of Alcea. Another is a descendent of the Dark One, who must use the Sword of Heavens to destroy the evil sorcerer. Which two of these Collapse Children are actually the Children of the Ancient Prophecy is unknown. Led by a pair of supposed gypsies, these young adventurers came into possession of the Sword of Heavens, a powerful, ancient artifact that will guide them in their search for the Unicorns’ Opal. Unicorns’ Opal is a tale of adventure, mystery, and betrayal.    Excerpt “I’m not sure where the sword will send us next,” admitted Alex, “though there is not much north of here. Arik, why don’t you toss our little glass bead into the fire and we’ll see what lies before us?” Arik reached into his pouch and produced the bead from the Sword of Heavens. Everyone stood and formed a large circle well enough away from the flames. Arik tossed the bead into the fire and a dense cloud of white smoke immediately arose. The fog of white smoke started twirling around and around and began thinning towards the top. For several seconds they watched the dense, white cloud spin itself into a sharply pointed cone with a spiral edge running the entire length glistening in the sunlight. The spiraled white cone tilted away from the observer and rose slightly, leaving a distance between the fire and the vision. Afterwards, everyone reported that the vision was the same for each of them, no matter where in the circle they stood. The glistening on the white spiral cone spread and the color of the object turned to gold. In the clear area below the golden spiral, another vision appeared. At first glance the vision was the sight of a green field filled with playful horses, but the scene changed as if each member of the group was looking through someone’s eyes, someone who was actually there in the field. The eyes started moving closer to the playful horses with an up and down motion similar to riding a horse. When the playful horses got closer, several gasps rang out from the group watching the fire vision. The horses all sported horns upon their heads like the one hanging over the fire, but none of them were gold like the cloud. The young Rangers stared in fascination at the field of playful unicorns that were dancing and prancing, with several of them involved in crossing horns in mock battle. The unicorn that hosted the Rangers, for surely everyone now realized it was a unicorn, raised his head and called out to the others, only it wasn’t a call. It was a sensation that sounded within the minds of the Rangers, not their ears. “Listen, my people, for there is news to hear,” came the speech from within each Ranger’s mind. “One of our scouts reported a hole in the Darkness west of here. He also reports large bands of Dark Riders and goblins and Yaki on the prowl. I fear that the Dark Riders will come to steal our Holy Opal. We must prepare to defend it. We have all sworn to defend it.” The prancing and playing unicorns gathered together and formed lines facing the speaker. Hundreds of unicorns in every color imaginable assembled and lost their mirthful attitudes. In long lines of color, the combined ranks of the unicorns resembled a flowing rainbow that waved and shimmered in a light breeze. When they had completely assembled, they recited lines in unison. These are the words that echoed in each Ranger’s mind: The Opal fair and pure of white Small comfort it can bring to them To help fend off the darkest night The Unicorns shall keep the gem. The vision over the fire abruptly winked out and the golden cone of a unicorn’s horn slowly dissolved into a white cloud, which dispersed with the wind. The Rangers stood and stared at the fire for a while, each lost in his own thoughts. Niki turned away from the campfire and hastily scribbled something, which she shoved into a pouch. Arik and Alex walked away from the campfire and Arik drew the Sword of Heavens. He rotated while holding the sword and stopped with it facing northeast. “It is pretty faint,” Arik stated as he sheathed the Sword of Heavens. “Probably as faint as the fairies were back near Lorgo.”

Superb Read Highly recommended 5 stars by Molly Martin
Unicorns' Opal Book 2 Sword of Heaven series is another in the exceptional series produced by talented writer Richard Tuttle. Tuttle’s quick wit, unprecedented use of words and fertile imagination all serve him well in crafting works of singular interest. Writer Tuttle sets lusty, creditable characters against a backdrop of spectacle, resonance and redolence. Tuttle’s characters are all beset with the foibles of us all. They experience happiness, disappointment, defeat and victory with much the same behavior as any of us might. And, that is exactly what makes Tuttle’s books a joy to read. Whether human, unicorn, bird and evil mage we can identify with the character and the emotion felt.

Filled with the fast-paced action, industrious behavior and thoughtful dialogue typifying each of Tuttle’s works Unicorn’s Opal Book 2 Sword of Heaven series does not disappoint. The reader is carried along on an exciting ride from the opening lines as the young adventurers awaken to a lovely sunrise. Told in twenty six chapters the excitement continues right on into the battles, escapades and at last the finding of the opal.

Tuttle adds a map of the known world, and a recap of Sword of Heaven for those who have not yet read that book. I found this to be one of the best of Writer Tuttle’s works to date.