Review for "White Shores"

"White Shores" is the first book of the 'Vitalis Chronicles" by Jay Swanson.

A woman floats in a sea of vibrant green. Her beautiful rainbow hued hair floats around her head moved by an unseen current. She stares up at the reader with piercing pale green eyes that seem to condemn and seduce at the same time. A clear plastic mask covers her full lips, a series of tubes and straps snaking their way through the water.
A sixteen year old boy named Ardin Vitalis lives in the small backwood town of Levanton with his family, an older brother, two older sisters and three more that are younger. The boys take time out of their chores to play soldier in the hills with carved wood rocket launchers, swords, and grenades against a never ending battle against imaginary trolls. It's all fun and games until the real horrors of battle come to Levanton. Suddenly Ardin is ripped from his innocence and thrust into an ageless war between the soldiers of Elandir, creatures called Shades, and a powerful Magess. A deadly all consuming war that will leave him changed forever.

What I liked

• The first thing I liked was the unique time setting. For most novels that feature the use of magic, the worlds are set in, at the very latest, a medieval era or more recently modern day. But White Shores has built its own unique era one where magic and technology exist side by side. Electricity can be hard to come by in the more remote areas, but in the big cities it's everywhere along with air conditioning and other modern conveniences. People still use swords, and trucks are a rarity. They have video but its grainy black and white without sound.  It's an interesting amalgamation.
• The next thing I enjoyed were the characters themselves, each one has their own rich backstory, each one develops as the journey sweeps them up. Their emotions are real and progressive, growing or receding in their own appointed space and time without feeling rushed.
• The magic users of this era have a unique calling card that I found interesting. The mist that builds around them each time they call upon their powers makes the scenes play out eerily in one's head.
• They are several twists and turns that send ripples of shock through a person. You never know who is friend and who is foe. You never really know who's the true villain.

What I disliked

• I only had two problems with 'White Shores'. One is the introduction of several characters that just don't seem to have a real place in the story. They're introduced, usually used as a framing device to move the story along, and then dispatched without another thought.
• The second was the sense of pacing. Things either moved depressingly slow or whip crack fast. Nothing in between. And occasionally the scenes that should have built like a thunderhead blow themselves out before they ever materialize, leaving the reader an unsatisfactory feeling.

'White Shores' is an absolute wonderful book. It's one that I can fully imagine as a riveting motion picture, probably with a touch of noir. The juxtaposition between magic and technology make it fresh. The characters bring it to life. Right now 'White Shores' is available for the Kindle for $2.99. It's well worth it. The following books in the series, "Tomb of the Relequim" and "Steps of Krakador" are available for $5.99 each. I'll be adding them to my wish list soon. You can find out more about the author and his books at www.vitalischronicles.com

4.5 of out 5 crowns

Recommended for fantasy readers, young and old alike. There are a few sensitive and mature themes throughout: violence, gore, and the threat of sexual assault, that make this story unsuitable for the more sensitive young readers. Parents should use their heads when considering this book, you know better than me what your kids can handle. Older readers will enjoy the fresh take and realism.

Synopsis: "In White Shores, the world is languishing in the aftermath of the Continental Wars. Peace has reigned tentatively until the Witch, thought to be the last of the Magi, sought to strike back at the human race and bring them to their knees. Caught in the middle of the strife, young Ardin Vitalis' family is murdered by his own nation's army. Striking out for revenge, he finds himself thrust unwillingly into events that will change his world forever. For reasons unknown to himself, he is driven to save the Witch's beautiful daughter from the nations, Magi, and King of the Shades who would seek to destroy her, and must wrestle with the mysterious, dark powers that he has been given. Ardin must choose to sacrifice his own freedom and flee enemies that are not his own, or allow events to unfold to the detriment of the planet. Little does he know the part he will play in saving mankind from certain destruction."