"a beautiful story of love and hate, innocence and loss"

The Ancient One is a beautiful story of love and hate, innocence and loss. It is the stuff from which legends are born...

Talwyn is one of The Golden, born of the mist and living within it. When she is reborn to the land of green and blue, the spirits of the forest call out to her. As the silver moon beckons her back to the mist, the spirits show her a vision of the dreadful future coming to the forest. Talwyn gives up all she knows to become the guardian and protect the treasured trees.

One day a woman comes to the trees, begging Talwyn to save her dying children. Never did Talwyn expect that one act of kindness on her part would set in motion the chain of events foreseen so long ago... a battle which could mean the destruction of the sacred trees and all she holds dear.

With The Ancient One by Sheri L McGathy, readers will be swept away to another world where mythical guardians protect the land and her children, the trees. Being an avid environmental supporter, this reviewer couldn't help but spot the lessons found within the story. It was an especially nice touch with the gentle reminders that we all must respect and protect the Earth and all her children, for if we don't... disaster will strike.

One very intriguing aspect to the story is that readers get absolutely no impression of what exactly Talwyn is. A few hints are given, but her actual identity is not revealed until the final pages of the book. However, the descriptions of the land and surroundings, and all other characters in the story are artfully rendered. One will feel the wind on their faces, the caress of the cool lake waters on their skin, the licks of heat from the fires.

The performer of this tale, Andrew Dollar, is a brilliant narrator. His voice adds flair to certain aspects of the story and will draw readers in, as if they are listening to a master storyteller of old, regaling the townsfolk with songs of adventure and love. This reader, or better said... listener, has never tried a book performed by Andrew Dollar before, but she will be seeking more audio books he reads.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, January 2006. All rights reserved.

Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Posted July 8, 2006

Summary

When Talwyn followed her people, the Golden, from the mist, she found herself reborn into a wondrous world of greens and blues and light and warmth. When she heard the spirits within the trees call out to her, she found again the oneness she thought lost to her forever. When the spirits showed her a future that would see her beloved trees destroyed, Talwyn vowed to protect them, even if it meant never returning to the mist again. Within the swirling mists of time, fanciful whispers give birth to wonders beyond any known reality and shape a single moment into legend. This is one such tale... The Ancient One