Official Review: The Tears of San Ferath
Posted: 17 Oct 2014, 18:51
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Tears of San Ferath" by D. Thomas Jerlo, also writing as Dawne Dominique.]
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"When the need is great, so shall he wake." Thus is begun the story of San' Ferath, the last of the dragons in Allanoria, land of the Mage'icals, a tale driven by a large and colorful crew of characters- including the freelance mercenary, Cethland Mer' Morellis- Rateif Laklan, the vile High Regent of Allanoria- and Dannon, a beautiful and noble-minded young woman wielding the black power of the Nongeva Druids.
Lord Rateif Laklan desires nothing more than ultimate power, but has for years hidden his bloodlust behind a mask of benevolence. He hires Cethland Morellis to unwittingly assist him in his secret endeavors and, with that decision, changes the course of Allanoria's future in a way none but one ever imagined.
I can assume that Jerlo has spared not a milligram of her imagination during the construction of this novel. The world she has invented brims with intriguing settings, characters, and themes which give a reader much to savor in the book's pages. The makeup of each character has been carefully crafted to convince. Further description of Allanoria might enrich the reading experience further. There are some measurements given of tunnels and pits, and castles are compared to other colossal or menacing- looking objects, but a little more on the kinds of metals and stones used in Allanoria, and a bit on the larger and wilder areas of the land would make the setting more fascinating. However, the colors Jerlo has provided are adequate to transport and, to a fair degree, engage her audience. The subplots are weaved through with care, never distracting the reader with unnecessary action, but enhancing the intrigue of the principal thread.
Of course, one can't ignore the novel's weaknesses. For one, the profanity in certain passages seems out of place, particularly for the time period in which the plot seems to be set (Castles, torchlight, and words like "maiden" are not hallmarks of our modern Age). Concerning her description of her characters, perhaps Jerlo could have been a bit more generous. Passages that include a couple of facial characteristics and, then, a "she was..." or "he seemed..." are common. This is to say that, in general, Jerlo is rather economical with her words, and the fact isn't always to the benefit of her novel. "Unremarkable" is the word that may best describe many of the results she achieves by this technique. The entertainment factor of her work might have been bumped up by a little "splurging."
In short, the story of "The Tears of San' Ferath" is an intriguing concept. It would have been better supported by a larger variety of words and further invention in the descriptive passages. It seems Jerlo still has room to grow as a writer, but as a storyteller she is rather mature. I rate this offering 2 out of 4 stars.
***
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Lord Rateif Laklan desires nothing more than ultimate power, but has for years hidden his bloodlust behind a mask of benevolence. He hires Cethland Morellis to unwittingly assist him in his secret endeavors and, with that decision, changes the course of Allanoria's future in a way none but one ever imagined.
I can assume that Jerlo has spared not a milligram of her imagination during the construction of this novel. The world she has invented brims with intriguing settings, characters, and themes which give a reader much to savor in the book's pages. The makeup of each character has been carefully crafted to convince. Further description of Allanoria might enrich the reading experience further. There are some measurements given of tunnels and pits, and castles are compared to other colossal or menacing- looking objects, but a little more on the kinds of metals and stones used in Allanoria, and a bit on the larger and wilder areas of the land would make the setting more fascinating. However, the colors Jerlo has provided are adequate to transport and, to a fair degree, engage her audience. The subplots are weaved through with care, never distracting the reader with unnecessary action, but enhancing the intrigue of the principal thread.
Of course, one can't ignore the novel's weaknesses. For one, the profanity in certain passages seems out of place, particularly for the time period in which the plot seems to be set (Castles, torchlight, and words like "maiden" are not hallmarks of our modern Age). Concerning her description of her characters, perhaps Jerlo could have been a bit more generous. Passages that include a couple of facial characteristics and, then, a "she was..." or "he seemed..." are common. This is to say that, in general, Jerlo is rather economical with her words, and the fact isn't always to the benefit of her novel. "Unremarkable" is the word that may best describe many of the results she achieves by this technique. The entertainment factor of her work might have been bumped up by a little "splurging."
In short, the story of "The Tears of San' Ferath" is an intriguing concept. It would have been better supported by a larger variety of words and further invention in the descriptive passages. It seems Jerlo still has room to grow as a writer, but as a storyteller she is rather mature. I rate this offering 2 out of 4 stars.
***
Buy "The Tears of San Ferath" on Amazon
Buy "The Tears of San Ferath" on Barnes and Noble
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