The Summoned King: Book One of The Kalymbrian Chronicles (Volume 1)

The Summoned King: Book One of The Kalymbrian Chronicles (Volume 1)  by Dave Neuendorf

A young man finds himself in the middle of a fantasy realm that holds every fear, joy, and desire that one can possibly imagine. James Madison Young, the protagonist of this story, is summoned into an uncertain place, where he must learn to adapt quickly and force an entire kingdom to rebuild itself against the powerful cabal of treachery and deceit that works to undo everything that James attempts to restore.

As James is married off to the naive princess and crowned king, the reader gets a glimpse of an innately sharp, well-read young man. 

" 'Our government should not be in the business of subsidizing religions. Every religious group should be responsible for raising its own funds. I understand that the network of temples is being funded with tax money. I’m going to proclaim a new law prohibiting use of government funds for religious purposes, and further prohibiting any government interference with religious observances or anyone’s application of religious principles in his personal or business life.' "

Dave Neuendorf clearly interweaves the politics within this fantasy realm with American history. The more the story continues to develop, we see James become a stronger leader with principled ideas that are not popular with the Council of Advisers. 

But what regime change was ever quiet?

" 'Regulating sin isn’t a function of government as I see it. Drunkenness, prostitution, drug use, and the like are unwholesome and harmful to society, but attempting to stamp them out by law only stimulates rebellion. Once a spirit of rebellion is accepted by the culture in one case, it paves the way for more serious rebellion. That’s what happened back in my home country when the government outlawed alcohol. Laws need to be enforceable.' " 

I was glad to see magic incorporated into this fantasy story. Neuendorf has captured the mythic and disruptive nature of a true teenager, intentionally setting a scene for an archetypal sense of righting a great wrong that can only be done by the untainted, idealistic view of a young adult. I look forward to the next installment that will give readers a further glance into this extraordinary realm that the author has created.

Dave Neuendorf is a Java software development consultant who published "The Summoned King: Book One of The Kalymbrian Chronicles (Volume 1)" in February 2016. He and his family live with their two dogs, a Samoyed and a Siberian Husky, in Aurora, Indiana.

The Summoned King: Book One of The Kalymbrian Chronicles (Volume 1) by Dave Neuendorf, 2016 ISBN 978-1523973569

Foreseen

Did I hear a gasp? A second Young Adult novel in the same month? Yes, it's true. Better yet, it was worth getting a little less sleep in order to finish it by the wee hours of the morning.

Foreseen by Terri-Lynne Smiles

Foreseen is a science-fiction romance set in the future. The novel is written in the first person, the narrative jumps between Kinzie Nicolosi and her boyfriend Greg Langston.

The main focus of the story is on 18 year-old Kinzie, who becomes aware of her latent super power. The power to influence and manipulate human thought. Suddenly, she finds herself being sent to a unique place called the Rothston Institute in Maine. The Rothston Institute houses a special group of young individuals who also harness certain abilities. They are the "adept" and  they are sanctioned with the duties of doing "good" by changing the course of human thought and cementing it for the betterment of society. An ancient governing body, also comprised of the best "adept" members, called the "Seven" oversee the entire process.

Of course, the reader must keep in mind, that when faced with such power, every individual has the choice to act upon their abilities. Kinzie is faced with a moral dilemma that encompasses a bout of self-rumination and the ponderance of ethics in serving such a group. Obviously, she is a teenager barely on the cusp of adulthood and still going through her own growing pains. As such, Kinzie lacks the self-assurance and security that often accompanies the uncertainty of youth. What she must realize, more than anything, is that she holds the power of her own destiny. Nothing is set in stone.

As the story opens up in it's deceptive simplicity, I was thrown a curve ball. The deeper I read, the more I realized that this book housed so much more than a group of extraordinary teenagers out to save the world. It addresses the human condition and the age old quandary of where the ethical line begins and ends. Kinzie and Greg develop not only their relationship but they mature into deeper individuals who can make decisions for themselves.

It was a wonderful story full of action, adventure, love and science. Categorize it however you wish, but give this entertaining read a try, especially if you have a young adult at home.

Next Year in Israel

First, I would like to say that I hope everyone is safe and secure during the horrible snowstorm raging through the northeast. That said, as I sit here with my tea and cheese crackers, I'm happy to state that I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Initially, because it is Young Adult fiction, I had my doubts about another sad teen book that had the potential of ending with Stephen King's Carrie-like vindication.

Next Year in Israel by Sarah Bridgeton

This was one of those times I was pleased to be proven wrong. Next Year in Israel is about a girl named Rebecca who is ceaselessly bullied and tormented by her peers for seven long years.

Now, I don't need to tell you that seven years to a child is a lifetime.

It doesn't help that Rebecca comes from a dysfunctional, broken home with no emotional support coming her way. She feels trapped and useless. In the midst of it all, she attempts to commit suicide.

Young or old, when reading this book, you feel Rebecca's pain, her sense of urgency and the struggle that she cannot overcome. It's a heart-breaking situation that happens more than we would like to admit. Fortunately for Rebecca, she gets the opportunity to take herself out of the hell that she had been living in for so long.

She goes to a boarding school in Israel and reinvents herself. She learns for the first time in her life what friendship means. Perchance because of her past struggles and pains, Rebecca is more sensitive to her peers and displays a deeper understanding in many ways. As the books draws on, the reader will notice that in typical teenage fashion, there are definite moments of raging hormones and dramatic highs and lows. And, of course, what group of teenage girls would be complete without agonizing over boys?

As Rebecca finally begins to appreciate herself and develop some self-confidence along her journey, I felt my own mood becoming more buoyant. It was a hard earned lesson that she had to travel half way around the world to learn. The author leaves the book open-ended. We never get to see what happens when she finally goes back home. But perhaps that is for the reader to interpret. In one way or another, is it possible that we have experienced or known a Rebecca in our lives? In this reader's imagination, Rebecca attained her own apex of survival with the steadfast resolve that she found within herself.

Next Year In Israel is thought provoking and poignant. It teaches us not to take things for granted. Life is always worth living.