Sunday, July 20, 2008

Seaborn by Chris Howard


Seaborn
Chris Howard
Juno
August 3, 2008
ISBN# 978-0-8095-7281-6

From the Publisher’s site:
All Life began in the ocean.The tides, the salt, the rolling waves are in our souls.The sea will always have the power to call us home.
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There is a world deep under the sea, a kingdom that has endured thousands of years without the modern world knowing it exists. Those who dwell there are Thalassogenêis: SEABORN
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Kassandra is the Seaborn king's granddaughter--the one he wishes he'd killed when he'd had the chance. She comes from the sea, but she has spent her whole life in exile on the surface, learning to control strange and frightening powers she barely understands. But now she's ready to declare war on the murderous king.
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Corina Lairsey is a scuba-diving Californian who has freed herself from a controlling relationship...and finds herself in another. Only this time, Aleximor, an ancient Seaborn sorcerer, is literally inside her head and wearing her body. Corina must strive for control of her self, fighting against time as Aleximor trades pieces of her life away in exchange for power over the path between the worlds of the living and the dead.
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Aleximor wants revenge for his 400-year imprisonment and his dangerous machinations threaten to destroy both young women and the world of the Seaborn.
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My thoughts:
Born to a royal family, but exiled to live among the land dwelling surfacers, Kassandra is gathering her power to exact revenge on her grandfather, the king. Little does he realize that some of the power she gathers through Bleeds is coming from a source that may surprise him, and there’s nothing that he can do to stop it. With the help of her family and allies, Kassandra will lead an army to secure the family’s rightful place in society as well as her own.

Corina spends her free time diving off of the California coast, and her penchant for doing those dives alone is about to change her life in a very dark way. Her introduction to the Seaborn comes at the hands of Aleximor, a sorcerer who was imprisoned and is bent on revenge. As he takes over Corina’s body it becomes a battle of minds, one she can’t win against a being who gathers his strength through the dead.

Seaborn is the first novel for Chris Howard, and what an amazing tale it is. From the underwater society to the surfacers on land, the detailed account of preparation and battle is vividly drawn. There are instances, especially when they involve Aleximor, that are graphic in nature, but they’re well within character. The story is well-paced, action-packed and laced with tension filled emotion. There are also two distinct threads that come together as they lead up to a climactic battle, and the author has done a great job of keeping them equally exciting. This is a book I’d recommend to fantasy readers, but horror fans should enjoy Aleximor and Corina’s tale as well.

To learn more about the author and Seaborn, visit Mr. Howard: Here


Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

8 comments:

ChariDee said...

This is one is next in my TBR pile. Sounds like a good one! Maybe I'll find time to read it today!

Kimberly Swan said...

Great! Can't wait to see what you think of it ChariDee. :)

Unknown said...

I have had this on my pre-order list...I wonder if I will end up getting a copy sometime as I don't feel like rushing out to get it.

Kimberly Swan said...

Just a few more weeks until release, so fingers crossed it will arrive at your door. :)

Enchanted by Books said...

Sounds interesting. I love the cover. Very pretty.

Kimberly Swan said...

I couldn't stop reading it once I started, so it was definitely interesting. It is a pretty cover, and it's one that makes sense with the story. :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Kimberly! This is wonderful. I’m so thrilled you liked Seaborn.

Chris

Kimberly Swan said...

Hi Chris! It was my pleasure, and I hope to see more from you soon. :)