Featured Book Review
'Into the Storm' by Meghan Brunner © 2004 Author House 479 pages + Glossary and Character List ISBN 1-4184-4656-4 Paperback $17.50(U.S.) ISBN 1-4184-4657-2 Hardback $26.00(U.S.) Available from www.faire-folk.com
I read the first installment of this fascinatingly entertaining series (From the Ashes - available from the same source for $17 ISBN 0-7596-8170-8 paperback) about a year ago. At the time I experienced an empathy with the characters, since they seemed so true-to-life. I laughed and cried my way through the book. This volume, the second of at least four in the series, is a bit shorter in length, which made me a bit sad. It gave me less time to experience the Ren Faire lifestyle.
Once again Meghan has woven themes of magick and Pagan/Craft living thoroughly with experiences which, if not exactly day-to-day (how many of us can afford to make our living off performing at Ren Faires?) are at least understandable by the most mundane of our family and friends. There are conflicts on many levels - from the micro-managing Artistic Director to the forces of evil and chaos which few people would encounter. And of course, there is always the weather to play havoc with things.
It is easy to believe in, and relate to these people. We all know them, we all deal with many of them on a regular basis.
The most difficult part of reading this book (I started it late one evening) was stifling my laughter and not making sarcastic comments out loud, as I tried to anticipate the reactions of some of the characters - after all, I didn't want my family to think I had finally slipped completely off the rails. Trust me, you will find plenty to snicker at, if you can keep yourself from laughing out loud. These characters are so completely natural that they seem like family as soon as you meet them.
It's a good thing Meghan provides a glossary and character list at the back of this book. It takes a while to get locations, people, and relationships all in their correct order, and these aids are a really good idea.
Although this is developing story, it has the advantage of being able to stand on its own. You don't need to have read From the Ashes to enjoy this book. I am grateful, however, that I did read the first book, and I look forward with eager anticipation the arrival of future volumes (Towards the Fates and Following the Desert Sun). Like all good series, each book leaves you wishing you had the sequel at hand so you wouldn't have to wait to continue the story.
Ryna and Phoenix have had almost a year for their love to grow stronger. Both these young women have had to make adjustments, and that hasn't always been easy.
Liam plots his revenge against Ryna from the shadow world he was banished to at the end of From the Ashes. He lusts for the power of his hoped-for lover Phoenix and his eventual return to the "normal" world. He was the victim, in his own mind, of people denying him what was rightfully his. The fact that others see it differently means nothing to him.
Liam allows himself to be seduced by his own desires to return to claim "his" lady (Phoenix) and allows himself to forget that if you aren't very careful to specify things when you achieve them through magick, they often come with unexpected conditions. He has become so bitter and obsessed that he accepts a deal from the Dark Fae (his tormentors) without examining (or even asking about) any conditions placed upon the deal, much to his surprise and regret.
I won't discuss the ending of this wonderful tale. That would make it far less interesting, and this is a book which deserves to be read and enjoyed.
I have all my usual quibbles about editing glitches (there are more than a few dropped words), but in a book which is designed to be entertaining rather than informative/ educational, they aren't nearly as jarring when encountered.
You won't learn any magick here - you aren't supposed to. You won't learn how to blend your Pagan beliefs into the "real" world - that's not what is intended. What you will do is enjoy yourself and get away from the work-a-day world for a while.
This isn't "Harry Potter", but it is an enjoyable book for adults who are looking for a fun, Pagan-friendly book to take along on a beach day, or for a lazy hammock afternoon.
Reviewer: Mike Gleason
If you would like to join in on a discussion about this book, please go to the forum here: Into the Storm