Corrupted magic is hard to fight when you’re the only one
who believes something is wrong. Daria faces a battle to save her world.
REVIEW:
UNMASKED
by
Maggie Munday
Five
Stars
Reviewed
by G. Lloyd Helm
Maggie
Munday has written a complicated dense story that will keep lovers
of fantasy literature happy for hours.
UNMASKED is
a story about the breakdown of what I would call a Magical Society. The world
has been run by a group of people connected to some living crystals. Those at the
top of this basically feudal society are called Masks because they connect to
the power of the crystals via masks which are carried until need and then worn
when in communication with the power. But things are not going well for the
Masks. There are internal jealousies which have festered to the point of one
Mask having gathered an army made up of humans as well as non-human creatures
to over throw the ruling Masks.
This is not
my first encounter with Maggie Munday and I must say I am impressed with her.
She writes strong, complex, interesting stories and UNMASKED is another of
those.
EXCERPT: Unmasked
If most of the
other Masks were like Alenze, then she was never going to fit in. He didn't
have a hair out of place. His clothes were grey but of the highest quality,
with a beautifully fitted long tunic and breeches and well-made knee-high
leather boots.
"During
the travelling, you'll be placed in a trance. This is done so you're not
alarmed by the experience. I'll be in control, and you'll not be aware of
what's happening around you."
He spoke to her
as if she were a child. The fact he was at least a head taller than her didn't
help matters as he peered down.
"I assure
you growing up here has made me resilient." Daria crossed her fingers
behind her back at the lie.
"Many
people struggle with the experience. I myself was glad I wore brown britches
the first time. I agree though. I sense you'll not be alarmed easily,"
Alenze replied.
For a second
Daria saw a smirk on his face. He had a sense of humor, who would have thought.
He even almost looked handsome when he smiled.
"Traveler
Quatrome, the sun is setting," her father interrupted. "The Chamber
is ready." He bowed his head to both of them.
Alenze offered
his arm to escort her into the Travelling Chamber. Daria stared at his hand as
her heart pounded in fear, but knew she had no choice but to eventually take
it. Pell stopped outside the Chamber and smiled at her, then looked to Alenze.
"Take care
of her, and warn your fellow Masks to watch out for her temper; she didn't
inherit her mother's green eyes and red hair without reason," Pell warned.
"You have
my word, Master Gallo," Alenze replied as he shook her father's hand.
Atia and Chelle
hugged her with tears streaming down all their faces.
"It won't
be long, and I'll be back, especially if they don't want me, which is highly
likely," Daria soothed them as she tried to get her tears under control.
Alenze coughed
and Daria couldn't delay any more. Again, his arm was offered and this time she
accepted. He escorted her into the chamber and as the doors shut behind them,
she could hear Rumus howling and her breath caught in her throat.
Alenze let go
of her arm and walked into the center of the circular, windowless room. With
the doors closed, there was an oppressive feel to the space, with the only
illumination coming from the oil lamps placed about the walls. The floor was
covered with a beautiful painting. The tales were that the settlement had been
built around this place.
Alenze was
studying the markings on the floor. Daria's breath was catching in her throat
and the room was getting smaller. She couldn't go through with this, they
couldn't make her go. Her chest was getting tight as her panic increased. She
ran to the door of the chamber and raised her fists, thumping hard again and
again. The yells coming from her throat blanked out the pain as her fists
started to redden and bleed.
"Let me
out."
A hand touched
her shoulder, causing her to spin around screaming, her clenched fist aimed at
Alenze. Placing his hand over hers, he brought her fist down. He stared
intently at her with his dark grey eyes as he spoke.
"When I
went to the Domain in Denarius, I believed no one would want someone like me.
Those who came with me at that time were filled with a confidence I never had.
I didn't feel I'd ever belong, but now I do. Becoming a Mask has given my life
meaning beyond what I would ever have thought possible. I've grown to love what
I've become. You must trust me, and believe you'll feel that, too." He
paused. "Are you ready?"
Daria nodded as
he let go of her hands and walked over and stood over the open mouth of the
winged serpent painted on the floor. She stood on the outside of the circular
floor painting and thought her eyes must be playing tricks on her. The painting
was starting to move as the serpent's coils began to entwine one upon another
hypnotically.
"We can
delay no longer. Stand on the mark of the moon." Holding out his arm,
Alenze beckoned her to move forward.
She took the
step, her breath coming in gasps. The outer circle had symbols of the sun,
moon, stars and the Goddess Ikrar. The Goddess stood with her hands clasped
around a crystal.
Alenze removed
a small, plain brown mask from a pouch hanging around his neck and put it on
his face. It had no hooks or fastenings, but melded to him on contact.
"Enter the
circle, Daria."
Daria stepped
forward onto the moving picture. Alenze took her hands in a firm grip, and
needing something to hold onto, she gripped equally as hard around his wrists.
She wondered if he could hear her heart beating. He should, as it felt as if it
was going to explode through her chest.
"I don't
want to do this. My life is here, Crane is here, I love him and I want to
stay." Tears flowed down her face.
"Trust me,
Daria, and you'll be safe," Alenze instructed.
"I don't
want to trust you. I don't want to go and no one there will want me. They think
I'm bringing doom with me because I touched the crystal," Daria sobbed,
but Alenze wasn't listening anymore. His eyes were shut and he was chanting strange
words over and over. There was a humming noise making her dizzy, and then
something touched her foot. She jerked her knee up. Peering down, she let out a
scream as the coils of the snake picture on the floor started slithering over
her feet and around her ankles - where was the trance Alenze had promised? The
Mask was no longer solid on his face; the flat surface was bubbling as though
something was trying to erupt. Then the small heads of two snakes broke free
from the surface and bit into his temples. If he felt any pain he didn't react.
More snakes
oozed from the Mask until the whole of his head was a wriggling mass moving
down his back and entwining around his arms. Two vipers separated from the
others encircling his arms. The snakes stopped their movements at his wrists
and raised their bodies up as though to get a good look at her. They swayed
hypnotically. Daria tried to pull free of Alenze's grip, but he was too strong.
Then without warning, both snakes struck at her wrists in unison.
"Alenze,"
his name burst from her mouth as the pain hit her arms and the poison burned
into her. His eyes opened, looking first to her face and then at the vipers
injecting their venom. She could hear his thoughts.
Forgive me, Daria.
Clare gets transported from present day Florence to an
alternate world, one that looks like fourteenth century Italy. The only way
back is through a portal half a world away, plus the local High priestess wants
her dead, and the only one she can trust is a vampire called Trevi. He is the
only one who exits in this world, and she knows more about what he is than he
does. He is hard to resist, especially when he saves her life. Trevi can take
her home but he is keeping one big secret. She will have to be like him to
survive the journey through the portal back to her world making a myth a
reality.
Clare and Trevi made their way through a portal to get
back to Earth. Instead, they find themselves on a dying world as a mysterious
mist closes in. Trevi’s scarred twin brother, Celi, has accompanied them. He
meets a female magician called Fane, who has been an outcast just like him. In
this world only men are magicians and they believe her existence is the cause
for the mist. Fane and Trevi learn to trust and eventually love each other as
they fight to find a way to save the world. There are people who want Fane dead
and to use her to get off the dying world, but Celi will use all his powers as
a vampire to stop them.
1 comment:
Thank you for posting about my book Unmasked on your blog.
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