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Reviews
The lives of five young people change dramatically when they
learn that their destinies lie in the service of Azar. They travel to
Haven's Hold to learn the prophecy of Azar and Condragon, two powerful
brothers whose rivalry has become a war between good and evil. Condragon's
forces have already begun to move, but the Chosen of Azar are not yet
prepared. They must still hone their magic and retrieve their talismans
before they can go into battle.
But they need not worry, for not only are the Barrand Commanders watching
over them, but so is Mo Demz, a wizard and servant of Azar. It is he who
helps the most powerful of the five control his magic, and it he who knows
how to find the talismans. Together the Chosen and Mo Demz travel with the
elite Barrand Commanders to search for them, facing dangers conjured by
Condragon and his disciple Zorad, and well aware that time is a precious
commodity.
Not only is The Chosen of a Azar a fantasy novel, complete with
wizards, magic, and strange beasts, but it is also a coming of age novel,
most specifically for Beni, on whom much of the story focuses. However, each
of the Chosen have trials to overcome, and it is with the help of the
others, as well as Mo Demz and the Commanders, that they are able to find
the courage to keep going.
There are a number of themes present in this novel, among them respect for
family, respect for life in all its forms, overcoming one's flaws, and
retaining an open-minded outlook. In a way, with these themes and the youth
of the five chosen, The Chosen of Azar might be considered a fantasy
novel best marketed toward young adult readers. But not only the young
people in this book learn lessons and overcome difficulties. Even the
Barrand Commanders, especially Drai and Raza who must deal with their wards
each day, must be ready to take on any situation and to keep themselves open
to the children under their care.
It's good that the author chose to focus on a particular portion of the
story rather than attempt to squeeze more into the novel. The search for the
talismans certainly takes its fair share of time, leaving the next
installment free to focus on those new enterprises foreshadowed in the last
few chapters. Readers who enjoyed following Beni, Drai, and the others will
look forward to the second installment in which they face Condragon's forces
more directly.
Carol Kluz has published a number of poems, short stories, and novels. She
has also taken part in the production of two award winning websites on book
publishing and marketing,
www.publishingquestions.com and
www.carolkluz.homestead.com.
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The
Chosen of Azar
by Carol Kluz
Reviewed by
D. J. Herda, President
American Society of Authors and Writers |
 
There is something inherently wrong with a novel that begins with a
lame-duck opening and struggles, for pages thereafter, to catch the reader
up with the story. Fortunately, author Carol Kluz has no such problem.
To her credit--and to the note of all new authors everywhere--Kluz' first
novel, The Chosen of Azar, begins with a bang and grows only more exciting
from there:
"The tracker's stealthy stalking of his prey was abruptly shattered by the
piercing cries and terrified whinnies of his pack-horses. He tore through
the forest with the bow and arrow in his left hand. As he ran, he drew his
long knife with his right, ready to take on whatever was threating his
horses and his livelihood. His panic increased as the sounds of the horses
ceased. He raced into the small clearing where they had been tethered by
long ropes so they could eat the grasses. Only one of the horses was there.
It lay lifeless with a gaping wound in its throat. By the bent grass, it was
apparent that the other had been dragged off. The tracker barely had time to
register these facts when he heard the sounds of the killer returning for
the other horse...."
I could end this review here, safe in the knowledge that, if you as a reader
are equally drawn to action-packed sword-and-sorcery adventures, you'll
run--not walk--to pick up a copy of this gripping and entertaining new
novel. Unfortunately, I can end virtually nothing I write so succinctly, so
I will share with you a little more.
Kluz, a crafty novelist who chooses to weave her story lines around
characters with chilling effects, introduces a quintet of five teens chosen
by the almighty Azar to save their world from the five disciples of
Condragon, Azar's evil brother. Their journey proves to be nothing less than
overwhelming. But this journey to prepare the five to battle the fierce
forces of evil is but a mere shadow of what they must face and ultimately
defeat in the days that lay ahead.
Along their way, they form an uneasy alliance with Mo Demz, a worldly wise
wizard whose insight into meeting the call of each challenge helps the
warriors along their perilous path. Whether quelling a rebellion, opening
new portals, or slaying the demons bent on their destruction, Demz' guidance
proves critical to the five young travelers. But is it enough to prepare
them to face-off against the wolf-like Churls, whose mysterious and
invisible shadows can kill in a heartbeat? It had better be,
for the journeymen soon discover that they must find the magical talismans
they need to help sweep them to victory over all that is unholy.
As Mo Demz guides them along their journey, he soon emerges as more than
mere source of wizardry power. He is a soothsayer and a formidible teacher.
He shares with Drai the remarkable powers he has observed in his Commander
son: "[The evil] Zorad could have healed himself in the blink of
an eye. It was your grasp of his legs that frightened him away. He sensed
the power of your magic. Azar must have known the warlock would try to
prevent Beni from reaching his talisman. That's why He sent you, so
Zorad wouldn't have an unfair advantage over Beni. Drai, if you choose to
open a portal, it will happen. If you choose to transform, it will happen.
If you choose to fly, it will happen. You're a Wizard."
That may be true, but are the powers of the young Chosen enough to bind the girls to the Sect and the boys to the Barrand Guards of Haven's Hold? And, if so, will
they be able to see to fruition their Rites of Passage in order to complete
their training?
If you guessed yes, you are already well into the throat of this
quick-moving and tension-filled story. If you have guessed how, you, too,
are a wizard of phenomenal wisdom and power, for the twists and turns that
the author throws up in the face of unfaltering bravado and incendiary
devotion to the precepts of Haven's Hold are enough to cloud even a wizard's
all-knowing crystal ball.
The Chosen of Azar, by Carol Kluz (WestBank Publishing, $14.95, Trade
Paperback) gets four out of five stars, a more-than commendable beginning to
one author's journey to literary success. Highly recommended for anyone who
likes fantasy, adventure, smart believable dialogue, and
on-the-edge-of-your-seat action. I'm looking forward to Book Two. It,
too, is going to be a winner.
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The
Chosen of Azar
by Carol Kluz
Reviewed by
Don Bacue, Executive Editor
International Features Syndicate |
I must say that, before I wrote my review of Carol Kluz's The Chosen of
Azar (WestBank Publishing, $14.95, Trade Paperback,) I read a review of
the same book by D. J. Herda, himself author of more than 80 conventionally
published books. Once I saw that he liked the book, I was pretty sure that I
wouldn't.
That's not to say that Herda and I don't agree on what good books should
look--or, better still, read--like. It's just that he has his taste in
fiction, and I have mine. Mine does NOT extend to the realm of
fantasy, let alone to some newly concocted derivative thereof termed
"sword-and-sorcery" fantasy. (What's next?
"Green-eyes-and-pock-marked-skin" fantasy??) I'm especially dubious when the
book has been self-published via either a.) a vanity press or b.) a vanity
press masquerading as a legitimate POD publisher. I must say, however, that
I was mildly surprised when I checked out the pedigree of this book's
publisher. WestBank Publishing, it turns out, is not a vanity publisher. It
is a legitimate press, which means that a.) it doesn't charge authors any
fees of any kind and b.) it actually pays an advance (diminutive, I imagine,
but nonetheless).
With that information tucked safely away, I confronted another question: why
would a struggling new legitimate publisher put its unearned dollars on the
line for a "sword-and-sorcery" fantasy--and, beyond that, for a
sword-and-sorcery fantasy by a first novelist? Could it be that the book
really was that good? I decided I had to see for myself.
Well, it turns out that the book is that good. In fact, it's damned good.
I'm not going to bore you with the details (what good would re-visiting the
storyline yet one more time do? It has changed relatively little since the
last review!) But I will say this about the writing. It's surprisingly well
polished for a first-time novelist. I can't tell you the number of
first-author tomes I've seen in which the writer's literary style made me
cringe. Kluz, though, has a comfortable, easy, natural way about her.
While her literary voice isn't yet as strong as it could be (as it will be
one day, I'm guessing), it's powerful enough to command the reader's
attention. And literary voice, in case you didn't know, is what goads a
reader into believing what the writer is saying and makes him want to read
more.
Believability. That is the key to successful writing. It comes not only from
the strength of the author's literary voice, but also from the dialogue (in
this case, crisp and clean, real-sounding...never stilted), the story line
(even though a fantasy, this one somehow seems strangely plausible), and the
characters (their traits are in keeping with the plot--kind, gentle,
knowledgeable, lovable, damnable, fearful, etc.).
Another one of the things that, to me, makes this fantasy palatable is that
the author hasn't gone out on a limb to create her own fantasyland lingo.
You know what I mean:
"It was a dark and stormy cremocroft, the kind that Bludgerons had known
only epicrims before, and then only since the nonce, when the Disceptor
opened to the Bulemicros above and hailed down sizzledorfs the size of
walwhackers."
No, Kluz writes in phrases that don't require a dictionary to decipher:
"Beni was getting tired of Quin bringing up manners. He merely nodded and
made no reply. Dell changed the subject when he asked, 'Are you a
Commander?'"
Oh, sure, there are a good share of specialty creations, mostly creatures
such as Mords, Que Pons, and Raver Rays. But they add to the flavor of the
adventure instead of detracting from the readability of the book.
For that alone, if nothing else, I wish to thank the author. The English
language, as she undoubtedly knows, is already sprawled across a wide enough
landscape to provide nearly any descriptive word an author might ever
require without having to make up more of them. Other fantasy writers should
take note. Not only does the author's use of the King's English make for an
imminently more readable--and believable--story, but also it provides an
instant hook whereby the reader knows
instinctively what's going on without having to turn back twenty-five pages
to find out.
Now, let me see, what exactly is a Hermorphatism, anyway?
On a scale of one-to-five, I'd give The Chosen of Azar a solid four
stars. And if I were rating the author for her effectiveness and
plausibility, I'd throw in an extra twinkler, placing her at the very top of
the list. She's a keeper. And so is The Chosen of Azar.
Five teens are chosen by Azar to save their world from the five disciples of
the evil brother of Azar, Condragon. This is the first of a series in
which Commanders of Haven's Hold, the Azar fortress, bring the chosen ones
to the fortress. Their journey is itself training for the fierce
forces that are only a shadow of what they eventually will face in their
quest to save Azar's world.
Meet Mo Demz, a wizard whose wisdom is perfect for each situation, whether
it be quelling of a rebellious nature, disobedience under the guise of
logical action, or the necessary reminder to the Commanders that they need
to always be conscious that these are teens but also the hope of humanity.
Watch Beni, Dell, Vina, Jenda, and Dane who are being prepared for the
ultimate quest against the wolf-like Churls, mysterious and invisible
shadows that can kill in a second, swamps filled with devilish creatures,
and so much more.
They must find their magical talismans that will aid them in moments of need
with divine power. Will they find the objects and hold them safely?
Will their appreciation of their powers bind them to the sect at Haven's
Hold? Will they be ready for the Rites of Passage to complete their
training?
Carol Kluz has written a young adult/adult fantasy novel that will thrill
lovers of the genre - and the reader may find him or herself imagining these
amazing scenes in what would make a terrific movie!
Very nice work, Ms. Kluz!
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The
Chosen of Azar
by Carol Kluz
Reviewed by
Clifford Stevens, Former Executive Editor
The Priest Magazine |
The Chosen of Azar is a powerful adventure. It is packed with
lively expression, simple rhetoric and intense clarity that delights and
reveals something of the high poetry of the human spirit.
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