I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man without purpose or direction finds himself transported to another world and must rely on the help of a local energy worker and guardian to escape the clutches of a dark guardian in author Jody Norman’s “New Trails,” the first in the New Trails series.
The Synopsis
Trapped in a life without purpose or escape, Troy is suddenly thrust into a different world, one of mystery and magic, where he must learn to trust — in his companion Kieran, and in himself and his own learning as he navigates this strange and wondrous place.
Kieran, a stubbornly independent Guardian and energy worker in this new world, makes his own way until Troy crashes into his life, bringing change like a hot desert wind. The young men must grow together, slowly recognizing the bond of mind and soul that lies between them, one with the potential to make something greater of them both, if they have the courage to accept it.
Together they must face Aodhan, the Dark R’Guardian who wants to enslave Troy, using the outworlder’s very soul to destroy Aodhan’s own world in the name of saving it. And Kieran, junior to Aodhan, is the only one who can stand between them.
Will either of them take the journey they’re called to, or survive it if they do?
Finalist in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award and the Page Turner Award
The Review
What a breathtaking and compelling read! The author created an incredible world with this larger-than-life fantasy-driven narrative while injecting a healthy dose of realism into the character development. The author’s imagery throughout the book brings a sense of magic and wonder to the setting, similar to how this reader felt the first time they watched Return of the Jedi and saw the heroes walking through the forest moon of Endor. It evoked a sense of magic yet ancient and familiar territory as if you could walk right into it.
The themes that the author brought to life in this narrative were powerful and engaged with the reader. The sense of identity and purpose that the story played with, both with Troy and Kieran, as well as the sense of identity that came from their growing bond and the use of energy and nature itself to enforce that bond, was so thought-provoking. The use of synchronicity, energy work, and how it plays into the way the world works not only elevates the story but also allows the reader to connect with this world more fully.
The Verdict
Memorable, authentic, and entertaining author Jody Norman’s “New Trails” is a must-read fantasy novel. The main protagonist’s realism, origins, and the real dilemmas he faces throughout this fantasy journey add more depth to the shocking twists and turns the narrative takes, especially the shocking cliffhanger finale. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
I’m an award-winning author who loves thresholds, and portals, and passing through them. Places where you’re not quite here and not quite there. Or in other words, liminal spaces. To me, this is where potential and opportunity wait for the unwary passersby, and I really enjoy placing my characters in these places and seeing them revealed for who they truly are and can be.
Nature and myself have an intimate relationship, and it’s key to all my writing, running through my novels like the fractal veins of a watershed. And since I believe that nature includes our place in the universe, astronomy and quantum physics and cosmology inform the structure of my fantasy worlds.
I’ve taught English to high-schoolers, citizenship to immigrants, sustainability to college students. I fell in love with cities and all that they could be in my masters degree in city and regional planning, and I’ve written articles for publications as varied as Dog Fancy and Colorado Gardener and Graduating Engineer and Computer Careers.
I have an almost forty-year love relationship with my same sex partner, and together we’ve moved in eight-year cycles from Tucson, Arizona, to Boulder and Denver, Colorado, to Atlanta, Georgia, and finally to Silver City, New Mexico. We’re looking at various places for our next stop. I really want to know what it’s like to be a world citizen, so maybe somewhere out of the US!
Please check out my book at Goodreads, my Bookbubs Author page, and sign up for my newsletter to hear how the sequel (Hidden Trails) is progressing! And keep an eye on my blog, which addresses the issues we all face as our civilization moves forward.
