Unscarred

R.M. Hamilton
Aventine Press (2006)
ISBN 1593304013
Reviewed by Sondra Fowler for Reader Views (7/06)

 “Unscarred” is the maiden venture into fantasy novels by R.M. Hamilton. It tells the story of a prince who didn’t know he was a prince until the leader of the Eternal Flame informed him in a most painful fashion.  Scarred and betrayed by life Kyle is sent on a quest to gain a magic amulet.  The journey is joined by a good hearted thief, Ellis, and siblings Adam and Melinda.  There is a sequel in the works as well.

Fantasy is hard to write, much harder than it is to read. I know it doesn’t seem like it takes much effort when you look at the legions of epic fantasy novels in the book stores.  But there are no maps or magic potions one can buy to create a fantasy story.  It is like the magic they tell about, a gift given to the unsuspecting who must then hone that gift into an art.  And when that happens it truly is magic, seemingly effortless and an unending joy.

“Unscarred” was not one of those seemingly effortless magic happenings.  This was R.M. Hamilton’s valiant attempt to capture the magic.  The story seemed rushed, if given a chance to flourish and to be longer than 240 pages we might have seen more developed characters and a more dimensional world.  This world may have been under a dark rule but I was not drawn into the fight.  The references and language was sometimes melodramatic sometimes unnervingly modern. It failed to transport me as a reader to his world or to his cause.  Ellis was the closet of the characters to come near fantasy level.  A sage was needed, someone seemingly all knowing, there was no strong character for the side of “good”. There were editing issues and other writing pitfalls that needed addressed.   I feel like this is the first draft, what you send to a critique group.  I would re-address this story before starting a sequel.  Illustration also needs addressed as well.  The cover art is what draws the unsuspecting reader into your trap…into buying your book.  This was not intriguing and if I were looking at books at a store the art would not say “fantasy” to me.
“Unscarred” is a fulfilled fantasy but not one without merit.  It is a good start.

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