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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Lisa Yarde Reviews Historical Fiction

Title: The Unhewn Stone

Author: Wendy Laharnar
Author's Web site link: http://wendylaharnar.weebly.com/
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-927085-45-5
Available on Amazon
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing

Reviewed by Lisa J. Yarde originally for Amazon
Reviewer's rating: 5 out of 5


On the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Stefan Gessler waited in his attic room, poised for some momentous change in his otherwise uneventful life. He got more than he bargained for. He learns of an ancient manuscript, which his ancestors have protected for generations. With the aid of an ancient orb, Stefan transports into the past to change his family's destiny by trying to stop the legend of Wilhelm Tell.

His abrupt arrival in the fourteenth century is as disconcerting for him as his ancestral relations. Only one among them, the proud governor's son Rolf Gessler is unwilling to dismiss Stefan's claims about his journey to the past. While Stefan gains friends, he also makes dangerous enemies. When the governor unexpectedly dies, a corrupted knight accuses Stefan and Rolf of the murder, and punishes them for the crime. An ancient and eternal witch, who once divided the Gessler family, also knows the true origin of Stefan's orb. She will do anything to get it back.

This is Wendy Laharnar's debut fantasy novel. She has created a magical world, where an ordinary hero faces extraordinary odds in his quest. The author's attention to historical detail immerses the reader in the medieval period, while the fantasy element invites readers to escape with her characters to the past. Her hero Stefan is the honored guardian of his family's secret; often uncertain of his destiny, he remains courageous and willing to right the wrongs of the past. In perfect contrast to the hero, the unrepentant villain's only motivation is greed and ambition, making him the perfect nemesis. With such memorable characters and a unique setting, The Unhewn Stone is a wonderful read.

 Learn more about the reviewer:
Contemporary Novellas: Long Way Home
Website
Blog
Blogging at Historical Novel Review

Moderating at Unusual Historicals
Find her on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter




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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

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