The Pull of Another World

"This is a crazy world. 
We don't know if what we do in this lifetime makes a difference.
 But, we keep doing the things we do because we believe in them. 
That's what turns the tides of wars, 
people believing in what they're fighting for. 
It's all willpower. 
Your mind and your heart will always be the key to victory; 
never doubt that."

--Joshua Silverman, The Emerald Tablet

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Publisher: Enchanted Forest Press, 408 pages

Publication Date: September 15th, 2012

Source: Paperback copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review

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Goodreads Description

Leoros doesn't have many friends. The son of a scientist and archeologist, he is constantly on the move. But when his parents make a startling discovery in Egypt, Leoros' world is turned upside down.

Do you wish you could have the power of a god? Would you use it for good…or for evil?

When an archeologist discovers the mythic Emerald Tablet buried beneath Egypt’s desert, her son decodes the ancient text leading him to a distant world.

On that world, a slave girl begins a journey towards a destiny she cannot imagine. But when an ancient foe rises from the ashes, they will be brought together
by forces neither understands.

Leoros, who dreams of being like the heroes in the comic books, must fight to unlock the secrets of the universe to save a people he never knew existed.

Atlantia, whose bloody visions wake her in the night, senses the darkness coming.

Together they will face an enemy with the power of dark energy, lose a mentor to the assassin’s blade, and be betrayed by someone they trust. Their fight for the future is just beginning, and before it is over, a final sacrifice must be made. When the darkness comes, will they stand and fight or will they join it?

There is darkness in everyone.

My Thoughts

I am on a fantasy roll ya'll. AND I got a chance to delve back into the adult world with the first of seven books in the Legends of Amun Ra series. This book completely took me by surprise. In such a good way. First of all, the novel starts off with a heart-wrenching and overt description of a father strangling his 6 year old daughter...uh, hello! Yes my attention has officially been grabbed. Holy crap. This scene was intense and it kept me reading immediately. After that we have a very mysterious scene of a woman dropping off her newborn to an equally mysterious man...hmmm...ok, I'll keep going. From there we meet Leoros, a young American boy living in Egypt with his parents on an archaeological dig when circumstances transport him to Potara, another world...one he is supposed to save...I should probably mention that. 

First of all. Leoros is such an amazing character. He is 13 years old and such an old soul that he is wise beyond his years. He is smart, he has faith in his beliefs, he sticks to his guns and he stands up for other people. Best of all, he follows his heart. I just adored him. He is obsessed with comic books and heroes and wants nothing more than to have his own adventure. And boy does he get one. His monologues are so honest and real that my heart just bled for him. I was rooting for him the entire time and I cannot wait to see the rest of his journey through these books. Atlantia also kicks major butt. She is a slave by class and is way more than that. This girl is fierce and also quite opinionated and states her opinions on what she thinks is right. Love this.

Our other main characters are all apprentices of the Priests of Amun. Kem, Kesi, Cadmus, and Dio. What I loved about these characters were that they were definitely more human. They made mistakes, they were not perfect and I loved them for it. Dio is my favorite. She, like Atlantia, is so strong and badass, I would love to be her friend. Girlfriend is the daughter of a soldier and you can tell. I would want her on my side in any fight. 

The entire world of Potara and the ability to manifest physical energy from the molecules around you is amazing! The idea of different colored energies and fighting with them is so cool. The history of their world with the Egyptians and the Greeks and exiling some to the moon made my inner historian just brimming with excitement. I loved the mythological element of the gods. I loved the futuristic world of Potara. I loved the training involved and the meditation needed to be able to wield the power of the energies. There is a lot going on in this story but it never overwhelmed me which is huge in any epic fantasy like this. The world building is crazy unique. There are at least 3 planets we are privy to learning about in this book with, I think, 3 other to be determined. We learn so much about the world where this story takes place but there is SO  much more yet to be discovered.   

The writing is great. The fight about good vs. evil and the hero we have inside us all is beautiful. I obviously must include some of my favorite quotes at the end :). There were so many sections where a character is exploring a struggle they are having internally that I was marking multiple pages to go back to. I just adored these elements. The idea that good and evil do not really exist and it is all perspective is genius. So well-stated. There is so much emphasis on family and love and loyalty that the themes within the novel have your heart breaking at points. I def teared up at a few points, not gonna lie.

There are so many more plot point and elements that I haven't talked about in order to not reveal any spoilers. It was just really, really good!! I found myself wanting to pick back the book up after putting it down. I wanted to see what happened next to our characters. The epic battle for fighting for what is right is the epitome of a great fantasy novel and this book has that and more. I am eagerly anticipating the next novel and I just want to know what our characters are going to do next!

Favorite Quotes

"Beliefs are not the truth, and the truth is a matter of perspective  but beliefs are important and necessary. without beliefs, we would all just be lost souls in the universe. Belief systems allow us to create order out of chaos...People relieve that sense of panic and fear of the unknown with a belief system. Whether or not the system is right or wrong, it gives us a sense of order, a sense that everything means something. The universe may have a star explode, a destructive event. However, out of that destruction, plants and new astral bodies are formed; out of destruction comes life."

"It's okay to be afraid of failure. We're all afraid of failing. The key is to no let that feeling of fear overwhelm you. You need to learn how to control it so it doesn't control you. If you don't, the fear will paralyze you."

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. And it was true too, in her mind. The atrocities of the world could be summed up by the lack of willpower and motivation of good people to take a stand."

"Hope is a tenuous thing. It means having faith in yourself and in others who are not perfect. But, in the end, she supposes that is what faith is all about. To believe in something you want to be true, despite no proof or evidence that it is. The acceptance of your lack of control, even though you possess a sliver of faith; that by pure willpower alone, the intensity of your emotions, thoughts, and feelings, can affect the outcome of what is such a dire situation."

"Remember, Leoros...accept the darkness within you, but never let it win."