Young Adult – Page 7 – THE LEGEND OF THE GREAT HORSE trilogy

Weatherford Daily News: Fantasy & horse lovers of all ages will enjoy “Eclipsed by Shadow”

Fantasy and horse lovers of all ages will enjoy a new book titled ECLIPSED BY SHADOW, the Legend of the Great Horse, written by John Royce. This is book one of a projected three book series.—Dee Ann Ray, “Books are my Bag” Weatherford Daily News

The following review of Eclipsed by Shadow appeared in the February 21, 2009 issue of the Weatherford Daily News.

Dee Ann Ray | Books are my Bag

Fantasy and horse lovers of all ages will enjoy a new book titled “Eclipsed by Shadow, the Legend of the Great Horse”, written by John Royce. This is book one of a projected three book series.

It is published by Micron Press, 71 Prince Street, Suite #35, Boston, MA 02113. Micron Press has a website which will accept email at inquiries@micronpress.com.

Megan, her mother Jennifer and father Tom Roberts live on a farm which allows them to have a horse named ‘Moose’. Jennifer raised ‘Moose’. She and her daughter share the love of horses and are excited about the upcoming birth of Moose’s foal.

“Legend of the Great Horse” begins with the death of ‘Moose’ in order to save the life of her foal. The beautiful foal is a palomino, unusual for a thoroughbred horse. The foal survives and thrives. Megan and Jennifer name the foal ‘Bright Promise’. Tom loves Megan and Jennifer and pays the horse bills.

The body of the story begins three years later when the vet clears ‘Bright Promise’ for riding. Lurking through the years awaiting the development of the foal is someone who sees all kinds of racing purses attached to the hoofs of Bright Promise. At first opportunity, the thief steals the horse. The horse outwits the crook to return home, but is quickly found by the thief. Megan is drawn into the drama when she is delighted to see the return of her beloved horse, but can see ‘Bright Promise’ has been mistreated.

The thief arrives to take the horse again and threatens both Megan and ‘Bright Promise’ with a gun. Seeing an opportunity to jump a fence and escape, Megan throws herself on her horse’s back. To Megan’s surprise, ‘Bright Promise’ not only jumps the space, but goes back in time with Megan aboard. So begins the adventure of tracing the history of horses.

A glossary of horse terms is included for those who need it.

This book can be obtained at your favorite bookstore/on-line book source, library or directly from Micron Press at the address given earlier in this column.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new fiction trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization. The story follows the time-travel adventure of a modern horsewoman lost in history.

Further information about this unique historical fiction novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Amazon Top 50 Reviewer: “Captives on a Carousel of Time”

This sweeping historical fantasy should have an impact on its reader that penetrates far beyond the boundaries of the usual Young Adult novel. It teaches lessons about history and horsemanship, and what it really means to be ‘civilized.’—E.A. Lovitt, Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer

The following is a review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Top Amazon Reviewer E.A. Lovitt (Starmoth)

E. A. Lovitt “Starmoth”
HALL OF FAME • TOP 500 REVIEWER

This sweeping historical fantasy should have an impact on its reader that penetrates far beyond the boundaries of the usual YA (Young Adult) novel. It teaches lessons about history and horsemanship, and what it really means to be ‘civilized.’

Eclipsed by Shadow reminds me of “The Carousel,” a ballad by Buffy Sainte-Marie: “Flying horses they are just/ Little girls who wish too much…” Teenage equestrienne, Meagan Roberts gets the filly of her dreams, born on the summer solstice of the new millennium. Unfortunately, the foal’s mother dies and the little palomino filly comes with an ancient warning:

“…So born of loss and mother’s grief, the Great Horse takes a mighty leap. Eclipsed by shadow, the golden spark/ Shall wing her rider into the dark.”

When Meagan takes that first ride on her filly, she is swept backward into Time and is forced to experience the dark side of the relationship between horse and human.

The overall vision of Eclipsed by Shadow is difficult to comprehend, because this is only Book I of a projected trilogy. The narrative ends abruptly and reads more like a series of short stories as Meagan occupies brief periods of prehistory and history. Each segment vividly describes our evolving relationship with the horse: slaughter and eat; sacrifice to the gods; kill for pleasure (I wish Meagan could have visited Xenophon’s Greece instead of Trajan’s Rome).

Bad guys are painted with a broad brush, but good guys are delineated with respect and care. I wanted to stay in Rome with Horace, the poet/gladiator. I hated to cut my visit short with Chouchou, the laid-back medieval warhorse. The author’s portrait of Meagan and her equine friends is especially sensitive, illuminated with the touch, scent, and emotion that only a true horseman could know and understand.

Further information about this unique and imaginative novel can be found at TheGreatHorse.com.

Historical Novel Society: “A Vivid Historical Tale through the Ages”

The first in a trilogy, ECLIPSED BY SHADOW tells the tale of a horse-crazy teenager traveling through time on a horse. This unusual-sounding summary had me skeptical at first, but the story is surprisingly page turning, and it left me yearning for the next installment.—Rebecca Roberts, Historical Novel Society

The following is a new review of Eclipsed by Shadow by Rebecca Roberts of the Historical Novel Society.

Historical Novel Society | Rebecca Roberts

The first in a trilogy, Eclipsed by Shadow tells the tale of a horse-crazy teenager traveling through time on a horse. This unusual-sounding summary had me skeptical at first, but the story is surprisingly page turning, and it left me yearning for the next installment.

On June 21, 2001, when a unique colt is born, Meagan Robert’s life is suddenly and irrevocably changed. This special palomino, Promise, is rumored to be the next “Great Horse,” and when thieves attempt to steal her horse, Meagan leaps on Promise and rides her for the first time. But instead of galloping across the field, Promise takes to the air and flies through time and history. Meagan’s quest to find home takes her from 20,000 B.C. North America to 100 A.D. Rome and then to 1240 Central Asia. Meagan’s only defense in these places is her 21st century equine insight as she is thrust into slavery, mistaken for a Tartar, and accused of being a witch.

The adventures Meagan experiences and the people she meets along the way create a vivid historical tale through the ages when horses were used for work, war, sport, and exhibition. This well-informed tale has great plot and character development, wonderful descriptions of equine history, and a tension-ridden cliffhanging ending that will leave you gnawing at the bit for more.

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

Anyone who loves horses or who loves history will love “Eclipsed by Shadow”

Throughout, the book successfully blends fiction, character and plot with history and more than solely the history of horses. I am not interested in horses, but historical fiction, but I did come to appreciate the history of horses without ever being overly bored by the book containing too many details.—Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., author

The following is a new 5-Star review of Eclipsed by Shadow.

HISTORY IS A TALE OF HORSES

Anyone who loves horses or who loves history will love “Eclipsed by Shadow”

by Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., and author of “The Marquette Trilogy”

“Eclipsed by Shadow” is an epic history of horses, complete with time travel, and educational material, but best of all, it is strong historical fiction.

The plot is pretty simple. Meagan learns from an eccentric neighbor lady that her newborn horse may well be “The Great Horse” of legend that has reappeared over the centuries. The Great Horse first originated as a horse meant to help Adam and Eve when they left the Garden of Eden.

I knew from what I had already heard about the book that it would include time travel and Meagan would experience how horses were used throughout the centuries by mankind.

When I started, I was a bit disappointed to see the first section went on for so long. I wanted to get right into the time travel, but once I started reading, I was thoroughly captivated by the plot and how well the author, John Royce, built up suspense in the first section. I actually think this was my favorite part of the book as Meagan learned about the legend of the Great Horse and also avoided having her horse stolen.

As for the time travel sections, the scene in prehistoric North America was brief and not quite as interesting as the later ones because after all it was prehistoric history, but I thought both the Rome and the medieval section were well done. Even though the book reads like a collection of short stories because of the different time periods that the characters do not cross over into, Royce successfully created some believable characters in each section.

Throughout, the book successfully blends fiction, character and plot with history and more than solely the history of horses. I am not interested in horses, but historical fiction, but I did come to appreciate the history of horses without ever being overly bored by the book containing too many details.

Anyone who loves horses or who loves history will love “Eclipsed by Shadow,” and readers will be impatient to read the next two volumes in this trilogy about the Great Horse.

– Tyler R. Tichelaar, Ph.D., and author of “The Marquette Trilogy”

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