Saturday, February 01, 2014

One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul

Song Stuck on the Brain: Do You Believe in Magic by The Lovin' Spoonful


Realm Walkers book 1
Zondervan
 
by
 
 
 

 
MY TAKE:
 
Cantor D’Ahma is starting his life. The last 20 years have all been preparation for the day he’ll become a Realm Walker. First he must find his dragon constant, but he can’t take the first dragon he stumbles across. Can he? Bridger the dragon thinks so and there go the dominoes for the rest of the story. One thing leads to another and soon Cantor has embarked on an adventure with a dragon, a cat, and a very unique and talented girl named, Bixby. For Cantor and his friends their adventure is only beginning. There is a great evil they must face in order to save the realms. It’s an adventurous ride that had me addicted to the very last page.

Donita K. Paul has once again crafted a masterful story full of humor, adventure, magic and (of course!) dragons. It’s also deftly woven with words of wisdom and faith. I found myself mulling over a characters words multiple times and thinking, “Well said.”

Her novels are always fun and capture your heart and attention. Keeping you awake ‘til all hours reading, investing yourself in the characters, and visiting a brand new world never before seen. She’s also very good at using clear allegories to present what a healthy relationship with Jesus should be. Primen is the name of the Creator in Realm Walkers, he’s the giver of all gifts, including things like discernment. Cantor and his friends know that all glory goes to Primen, not man; but there are many in the Realms who are forgetting that. For me, a part of the allegory represented how the world has become too focused on man’s achievements and built up an egotistical and false front to the point of pushing Jesus out of the center of everyday living and praise. It’s laid out beautifully in the chapter called “Sanctuary”. There is so much more to the beauty of the allegory and that part of the story, but you must read it to enjoy it.

One Realm Beyond is a gold medal winner in my book. Good for young and old readers and all of us in-between. It’s got all the adventure, fantasy and fun you could ask for with a bit of substance. Not too heavy, not too light – Just right!

(Now I'm sitting on pins and needles anxiously waiting for book 2...)


ABOUT THE BOOK:

"Cantor D'Ahma has waited his whole life for this day. Born with a gift, the young Realm Walker is finally ready to leave his elderly mentor and accept his role as protector and defender of the realms. But mere hours after he first steps through a portal, Cantor discovers that his job will be more dangerous and difficult than he ever imagined. The realms are not as safe as they once were, and members of the Realm Walkers Guild have become corrupt and can no longer be trusted. To make matters worse, his first assignment---finding a dragon to assist him on his quest---has led him to one who is clearly inept.
With the help of his new friends Bixby and Dukmee, Cantor must uncover the secrets of the corrupt Guild before they become too powerful to be stopped. But can his skills progress in time? And will Cantor remember where his true allegiance lies?"

Read an excerpt HERE

If you're a Pinterest fan, check out Bixby D'Mazeline's board that features her unique fashion style. FUN!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Donita K. Paul retired early from teaching school, but soon got bored! The result: a determination to start a new career. Now she is an award-winning novelist writing Christian Romance and Fantasy. She says, “I feel blessed to be doing what I like best.”

She mentors all ages, teaching teenagers and weekly adult writing workshops.

“God must have imprinted 'teacher' on me clear down to the bone. I taught in public school, then home schooled my children, and worked in private schools. Now my writing week isn’t very productive unless I include some time with kids.”

Her two grown children make her proud, and her two grandsons make her laugh.

18 comments:

Donita K. Paul said...

Thank you for the review, April. Bixby is such a fun character. I loved putting together the type of clothing she would wear. If I were as pencil thin as she is, I'd wear them too.
I hope your followers will enjoy the book.

April Erwin said...

You're quite Welcome, Donita! Glad you could stop by for a moment. I loved Bixby's character. She was so much fun. Super intelligent, ever curious and very fashion forward, but without a prideful or egotistical nature. And I loved her fashion sense. I also want a bunch of her hampers. How cool are they? Storage problems solved! :)

Unknown said...

Awesome Review Mrs Erwin, and what a great book thank you MRs Paul for writing a jaw dropping read.
I still think a movie wow a epic one at that.

April Erwin said...

Thanks, Paul. I thought the same thing while reading. I kept picturing how it would look on film. Think we could convince Peter Jackson to take it on?

Clelan said...

This was a great book, I enjoyed the lively characters and the wonderful use of words. I can't wait for book two!

Noelle said...

I absolutely adored this book. It's only the beginning of the year, and I know I'm going to be hard pressed to find a book that comes /close/ to being 2014's favorite.

April Erwin said...

I agree, Clelan. Donita is a fantastic wordsmith. I love that she's not afraid to use big words and challenge our brain's vocabulary. Can't learn a new word if we never hear (read) it used in context, right? :)

April Erwin said...

Noelle, I'm with you on this. I'm thinking I'm going to need to re-read Ms. Paul's Dragonkeeper series just to hold me over until the sequel is released. I get withdrawl if I don't get a chance to visit every once in a while. :)

http://donitakpaul.com/books/dragonkeeper/index.html

tigarth said...

Another homerun for Donita K. Paul I couldn't put it down. I really love her take on the Mor dragons. I can't wait for the second book

Joelle said...

I think what makes this book so amazing is the bits of wisdom that are scattered throughout that you want to type out and show your friends and go, 'isn't this brilliant!?'

April Erwin said...

I agree, Togarth, Mor Dragons are awesome, I'd love to have a constant. Bridger's pretty cool, although since I'm already a little klutzy, the two of us could really bungle up the realms. :)

April Erwin said...

Yes! Exactly what I thought, Joelle! Donita is a wise woman. I loved that it was stated so simply too. I felt like, "Of course, this makes complete sense!" But nothing was pretentious or hard to understand. I think that's because true wisdom is simple, no need to complicate it. Once it's pared down to the truth, it's no longer confusing.

Faye said...

Bixby and Canto make quite the adventurous pair. Their characters grow and evolve with each crisis. Wouldn't you love to just step into another realm, race about fixing things, and slip back home?

Donita K. Paul said...

Simple wisdom comes from teaching Sunday school. As a SS teacher, you get an opportunity to really
think about the Bible stories and what they mean. And then, in order to present it to a 3-year-old or a-6-year old or any age, really, you have to pare down to the core truth God wants to place in our hearts.

April Erwin said...

I think Realm Walking sounds like a blast, Faye. Quick travel to a whole different world, a chance to use your gifts and talents the way you were meant to and to help others. Great job.

April Erwin said...

I agree, Donita, my sister and I taughte the Pre-school and Kindergarten SS class for many years. Not only did it make me take a second look at those Bible stories, but often the kids asked questions that made me go 'whoa'. Their minds are still so fresh and open to the Holy Spirit. And when I see wisdom written so simply, I know it's because there is another heart that is open to the Holy Spirit's leading as well. Your books are plenty entertaining for all ages, but they also hold Truth that is there to reach a deeper level of a reader's heart and mind. That makes them exceptionally good on my list. Thank you for listening for inspiration and investing your self in sharing it with all of us. :)

Angie Quantrell said...

Love Donita K. Paul's books as well, all of them! Cantor and Bixby are great characters! Love the dragon and his cat. :) I sure hope she is busy writing. Need to see what is happening next.

April Erwin said...

So true, Angie. It's hard to pick a favorite, so I just claim them all. :) Bridger and his cat are a great team, and so unique. As Cantor said, Who heard of a Dragon with a cat? Donita did. Score!

As for the next book, according to a recent Facebook post, Donita is working on meeting a deadline for some manuscript now, don't know which, but what ever it is, can't wait to read it. :)