January 28, 2002
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I was thrilled and awestruck when a copy of Changer of Days arrived, courtesy of the author, Alma Hromic, whose writing has captivated me since her first appearance on Swans and my reading of Letters from the Fire. This was to be my holiday pleasure.
Yet for days I continuously walked past the book that sat patiently on the kitchen table awaiting my attention. I was ambivalent about the cover, a medieval scene, as I've never been attracted to fantasy fiction, but eventually I resolved to delve in. I made my way through the first few pages, reading and re-reading paragraphs to learn the unusual names, the fictional vocabulary and geography, and most of all, struggling to let my mind run free with the story. And by the time I finished the fifteen-page prologue I was captivated. Changer is a medieval tale that encompasses the ageless pursuit of an individual to understand and hone her inner strength so that she can stand up to one man's quest for power. The battlefields are family, clan and country; timeless settings to which one can easily relate. The main character, Anghara, is left orphaned and in exile after her father, the King, and her mother are murdered. She is a girl with integrity, honesty and incredible fortitude, characteristics which mature as the story progresses through her edification and preparation for an eventual return to face her half-brother Sif, who brutally claimed her father's throne and declared Anghara, the rightful heir, dead. It is a beautifully woven story that leads the reader to savor every detail, as every detail has meaning somewhere down the road. When not languishing in the prose, I was appreciating the creative and imaginative process of constructing this tale. There are several strong characters and numerous facets of the story to which one can connect, making it appealing to young adults or adults of either gender. I read incessantly to see where the story would end; yet, I did not want it to do so. To me, that is the mark of a good book, and I anxiously await the release of Volume II to follow Anghara's journey onward. Meantime, I recommend reading Changer of Days -- fans of Hromic's sensitivity and artistry will not be disappointed. Changer Of Days: Volume I HarperCollinsPublishers ISBN: 1869503902 Read another review of the book: PORTAL New Zealand Buy the book: Voyager online Also: Letters from the Fire. Jan Baughman is a scientist in the Biotech Industry. When Jan does not travel around the world on behalf of the company where she manages a clinical research department, she spends most of her time devouring books like candies and relaxing over the preparation of the finest recipes in Northern California. She started writing at a very young age when she found this mode of expression easier than having to answer the perpetually boring and conservative chit-chat around her. Jan's sense of observation is directly related to her sense of humor. She is a founding member and co-editor of Swans, and brings to the site wit and a lightness of being. Please, DO NOT steal, scavenge or repost this work without the expressed written authorization of Swans, which will seek permission from the author. This material is copyrighted. All rights reserved. |
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This Week's Internal Links
On What Authority? - by Stephen Gowans
Peace, an Illusion of Power - by Milo Clark
History, from Historians to Hobbesians - by Milo Clark
On Fantasy - by Alma A. Hromic
Renewing the Earth - by Michael W. Stowell
Man vs. Machine - by Deck Deckert
Oasis - by Sandy Lulay
The Brown Man's Burden - by Henry Labouchère
The White Man's Burden - by Rudyard Kipling
Jan Baughman on Swans
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