The Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer

This is Book One of Mr. Brouwer's Merlin's Immortals Series. I found this book to be just ok. I really wanted to love it. I like fantasy, I like books about Merlin but there was something lacking in this book. I like the concept of the orphan king setting off to capture the mysterious Magnum. I like the various characters in the book but I wanted more from them. I felt like there was a previous book I was supposed to read before I read this one. That being said, I would definitely read the next book in this series, mostly because I want to know more about the characters portrayed in the book. I give this book 3 stars because of the lack of plot development but I liked the concepts and characters in the book.

I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my review.

The River by Michael Neale

The River is a very touching story about a boy who lost his father to a drowning accident while he was trying to rescue a kayaker. The story chronicles his life and how this event affected his life. The River is the central theme as he begins his early life loving The River as it was his father's love as well as job guiding tours down The River. Once his father dies, the boy becomes fearful of The River but is drawn to it as well. I really appreciate the symbolism in this story and the way the boy became a man and has to face The River again. This is a beautiful story of forgiveness and breaking free from fear to be the person he was made to be. Well done, Mr. Neale on your debut novel!

I received this book free from booksneeze.com in exchange for my review.