fantasy – Page 4 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

The Golden Spark “recommended … but not for very young or sensitive readers”

“Going into the book with very limited horse knowledge, I feel that I learned quite a bit about horses, and have gained a greater appreciation for their place in history. I enjoyed reading about how the horses were cared for on the Spaniard ships, the techniques used to train them in 17th century Europe, and what a fox hunt would actually be like.” – LibraryThing Early Reviewer

The Golden Spark, Book #2 of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy, participated in the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program — the following is a pre-publication review:

LibraryThing Early Reviewer “wnk1029″

I recently read The Golden Spark as part of LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. Since this was the second of the series, I checked out the first book from my local library, with the vague knowledge that it was about horses and time-travel. I enjoy reading about time travel; horses, not particularly. I was, however, willing to give it a chance.

Though the second book could possibly stand alone, I was glad I had read the first one and would recommend it to anyone picking up The Golden Spark. It tells the backstory of the heroine, Meagan, who is involuntarily being transported through time by her horse who just happens to be a Great Horse–a reincarnation of the very first horse ever created, who is actually an angel whose job it is to bring humanity back to the Garden of Eden. This part of the story is a bit complicated, but since the book is more about history than the mythological/spiritual aspect, it ends up not really playing a huge role in this book except as the means of transportation from era to era.

In this book, Meagan visits Mexico circa 1519 as a groom to Cortes’s horse. This section is violent and frightening, definitely intended for a more mature audience, but an interesting, historical read nonetheless. Meagan’s next stop is 1666 England & France, where she becomes a handmaiden and stable hand in King Louis XIV’s court at Versailles, followed by 1816 England, where she is taken into the quiet home of a country farmer and his family.

The horses are the driving force of each of these eras, and Meagan’s experiences revolve around their care, training, and the ways in which people used the horses in each of these time periods. Going into the book with very limited horse knowledge, I feel that I learned quite a bit about horses, and have gained a greater appreciation for their place in history. I enjoyed reading about how the horses were cared for on the Spaniard ships, the techniques used to train them in 17th century Europe, and what a fox hunt would actually be like.

The downsides? The books tend to read more like a series of novellas rather than one continuous book. Each jump through time seems to break into what could essentially be a stand-alone story. Though the heroine occasionally will mentally refer back to previous people she’s met in her travels, it isn’t really clear what she’s learning from these experiences. In each era, she has the advantage of more modern knowledge of horses and their care, which helps her make a place for herself in each society, but doesn’t really add anything to her character’s development or growth — she remains the same Meagan who gets by because she knows more about horses than anyone else around her.

I would definitely recommend this series to those interested in exploring history from a different perspective, as well as those who already have a love of horses. Due to the violence in the first book, as well as in the first section of this second one, I would hesitate to recommend the book to younger or more sensitive readers, though the language is very readable and should be able to be handled by those with middle-school vocabulary and comprehension skills.

I’m looking forward to reading the third book when it comes out; I can’t wait to see how Meagan’s travels come to a close and get some answers to some of the questions that are still unanswered!

» See original review on LibraryThing

The Golden Spark is the 2nd book of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy, an award winning time-travel adventure through history—on horseback! The story follows the journey of a modern horsewoman lost in the distant past.

The trilogy books have won multiple national awards including the 2009 Eric Hoffer Award for best Young Adult Fiction, and the 2010 Mom’s Choice Award for best family-friendly Young Adult Fantasy.

Further information about this unique ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

5-Stars for “The Golden Spark”

Let me state at the outset that this is a rip-snorting tale and an overall fun read. The author is very proficient in his craft and there is little to quibble about the structure, pace, language, and overall writing of this book. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the writing and rhetoric.—Kilgore Gagarin, Amazon Vine Voice

Amazon Vine Voice reviewer Kilgore Gagarin gives 5 stars to The Golden Spark, Book #2 of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy:

Amazon Vine Voice | Kilgore Gagarin

Second salvo in an excellent Young Adult series for horse afficionados

Let me state at the outset that this is a rip-snorting tale and an overall fun read. The author is very proficient in his craft and there is little to quibble about the structure, pace, language, and overall writing of this book. I continue to be impressed with the quality of the writing and rhetoric. I leave arguments over historical accuracy and the details of horsemanship to others.

The second in a planned three book series (The Legend of the Great Horse) continues to follow 16 year old Meagan Roberts through time as she is transported by the magic of the Great Horse. When last we saw our intrepid equestrienne, she, and her horse, were about to be executed for witchcraft in 1616 Western Europe. Escaping through time, Meagan finds herself transported to a ship captained by Spanish Conquistador, Hernan Cortes, in the year 1519. This section is reminiscent of some of the most violent parts of the first volume of the series (which is not a bad thing, but readers must understand that this is not a girl’s bucolic romp through time on the back of her winged horse). The use and impact of horses in the Spaniards’ battle (and slaughter) of the Aztecs gets this volume off to a stirring start. The author describes the scenes with neither condemnation nor approval. The conquest of the Aztecs is an historical fact, and Meagan, like us, is primarily an observer of the process.

The next two sections of the book find Meagan in France in 1666, then in England in 1816. In both cases, we see a less violent, more pedestrian look at the role of horses in the advancement of civilization. More time is spent on the societies of the time, primarily the integration of the horse in everyday life. Though less exciting than the opening section, the author continues to impress with fascinating details about horses and horsemanship. Being thoroughly ignorant in those areas, I found this to be continually interesting, to my surprise. As a child, I found Farley’s Black Stallion series to be thoroughly dull. Royce brings a detail, and supplies historic context, in a way that should be interesting to any reader. When next I have the chance to observe dressage I will bring with me a touch more understanding of the art, thanks to the author of this book.

Being the second volume in a series, I think this book can easily be read without having read the opening work (still recommended to do so). The historic segments easily stand alone as discrete stories of their time and place. Overall, this work contains a lot less violence than the first work, and is thus less problematically recommended for younger readers. The stirring fox hunt near the end of this installment probably won’t sit well with absolutist animal lovers, but the classic rendering of the rendering of the fox at the end of the hunt does not take place. Rather, the joy of riding raucously through the English countryside is the main focus.

I’m greatly looking forward to the eventual conclusion of this series, and expect that the trilogy will become at least a minor classic, if not a more respected work over time.

Tally ho!

Note: The book reviewer received a free review copy of “The Golden Spark” via LibraryThing’s “Early Reviewer” program. This review has been posted on that site as well.

» See original review online

The Golden Spark is the 2nd book of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy, an award-winning time-travel adventure through history—on horseback! The story follows the journey of a modern horsewoman lost in the distant past.

Further information about this unique ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Eclipsed by Shadow: “Excellent opening salvo in a new YA series”

This work is a crisply written taut tale that moves along nicely. I finished its 273 pages in one sitting. The main thrust of the book falls in two areas: horses and horsemanship; world history. I personally found the author’s expertise in horses and horsemanship to be the most compelling and interesting part of the book.—LibraryThing Early Reader

The following is a new review for Eclipsed by Shadow posted by a reader on LibraryThing:

LibraryThing | Reader Review

I checked this book out because I am expecting the second volume of this three volume series (The Legend of the Great Horse) as part of LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program. As a child, I was forced to read Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion series. I found those books readable, but generally a bit dull. So I come into reading this series predisposed to dislike it, but have been genuinely pleased to find the first volume of this work to be exciting, readable, and far from dull.

From the book’s description I expected a young girl’s lighthearted romp through history on the back of a winged horse. Accept that description at your peril. First, there is a lot of graphic violence (including references and threats to rape) so if you ARE looking for something lighter for your young ones (ages 11-16?) to read, this is not your book. The violence is not a criticism but a description for the potential reader to consider. Understand that if you’re going to write about the use of horses throughout history that much of it is in the service of warfare.

This work is a crisply written taut tale that moves along nicely. I finished its 273 pages in one sitting. The main thrust of the book falls in two areas: horses and horsemanship; world history. I personally found the author’s expertise in horses and horsemanship to be the most compelling and interesting part of the book.

Not formally being an historian, I’m loathe to criticize the historic aspects of this book, including accuracy and interpretation. I did find the settings interesting and compelling, but suspect that this is the area that will be most contentious amongst those who do have a deeper understanding of the specific time periods and the cultures in which the protagonist finds herself.

I found myself continually impressed with the quality of the writing. Rhetorically, this is a well written, well edited book. Whatever quibbles one might have with the slippery facts of history (or horsemanship), this is a finely tuned tale that leaves me anticipating the sequel with a positive predisposition.

» See original review online

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the award-winning fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, a journey through history–on horseback!

The story follows the time-travel adventure of a modern horsewoman lost in the distant past. The title has won multiple national awards including the Eric Hoffer Award for best Young Adult Fiction, and the Mom’s Choice Award for best family-friendly Young Adult Fantasy.

Further information about this unique and imaginative ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Reader’s Review: “… this book would be fantastic for any horse lover—boy or girl.”

ECLIPSED BY SHADOW is such an interesting book! I learned so much about horses in history – it really was intriguing. I think that this book would be fantastic for any horse lover – boy or girl. There are so many different characters interwoven into the fabric of the story that it would appeal to a variety of young adults.—Vikki Gremel, Review the Book

The following is a review of ECLIPSED BY SHADOW by Vikki Gremel for Review the Book.

Review the Book | Vikki Gremel

Eclipsed by Shadow is such an interesting book! I learned so much about horses in history – it really was intriguing. I think that this book would be fantastic for any horse lover – boy or girl. There are so many different characters interwoven into the fabric of the story that it would appeal to a variety of young adults.

I enjoyed the “journey” very much. The opening chapters of the book provided a good background for the story, and I’m very anxious to read Book II. The end of the book leaves you hanging by a thread … wondering where the next adventure will take place.

Meagan, the heroine of the story, is a clever, levelheaded girl. She loves horses, and more importantly, KNOWS horses. Any future horsewoman can glean much from this book.

The importance of kindness both to people and to animals is prevalent throughout the story, and is not “preachy”, just appreciated.

I enjoyed this book! Well done, John Royce!

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the award-winning fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, a time-travel adventure through history—on horseback! The story follows the journey of a modern horsewoman lost in the distant past.

The title won the 2009 Eric Hoffer Award for best Young Adult Fiction, and the 2010 Mom’s Choice Award for best family-friendly Young Adult Fantasy.

Further information about this unique ‘creative non-fiction’ novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.