Ravenshade: A Tale of Alterra, The World That Is

C.S. Marks
AuthorHouse
ISBN 9781434324948 (2007)
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (12/08)

 

Ravenshade is the third book in C.S. Marks “A Tale of Alterra, The World That Is” trilogy, and it certainly does not disappoint.  The story picks up where the second book “Fire-Heart” ends with Gaelen and her friends encountering more carnage from Gorgon, the Elfhunter.  Gorgon is back with a vengeance in Book Three and Gaelen must reach deeper into the spirit world and her strength than ever to be able to overcome her formidable enemy.  She finds that she even has to deceive those she loves to protect them from danger and lead Gorgon onto a false trail.  Much to Gaelen’s dismay, she finds out that Gorgon has also teamed up with great evil and the reader can only hope that good will prevail in the end. 

This third installment is fast-paced with Gaelen and company traveling great distances from the South through the desert to her love, Orogond, the destroyed land in the North.   Gaelen’s hope by traveling the road is to divert Gorgon and the evil beings of Darkmere from destroying her people.  As the community members are alerted to the imminent danger, they work together to overcome evil.

The author’s love of horses continues throughout this book.  She portrays their characters very well and the loyalty they have to their humans.  And there were no surprises when they do save the day towards the end of the story.  

I am continually amazed at C.S Marks’ imagination. She could have just added the final conflict in this story, but instead continues to create new lands, creatures and scenarios. I stand by the statement that I made in earlier reviews of this trilogy - this is the stuff that great movies are made out of. 

At the end of the story in “Ravenshade,” I felt like I was losing my good friends.   Hopefully this is not the last that we will hear from C.S Marks on the subject.

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