Cels Reviews: Karen Brooks—"Tallow"

In a place where magic means execution, a child with extraordinary powers and the key to the fulfilment of a legend is hidden among peasants. Taken in and trained as an apprentice by a candle maker, Tallow has learnt to hide in plain sight. Silently in the shadows, three separate groups of enemies are searching and waiting: the foreign Queen, whose motives are cold and calculating; the aristocrat who dreams of his fortune returned; and the horrifying Morte Whisperers—creatures of the Limen (a mystical boundary land), no one seems to know just what they are. They all want Tallow’s ancient magic for their own means and will stop at nothing to get it. Not even murder. Only one group, The Bond Riders, stand between Tallow and the others’ malevolent plans; but are they truly allies, or do they just want control of Tallow’s powers for themselves?

Opening the cover of this amazing novel is like gazing at a master tapestry. It is visually rich and entrancing with interwoven threads of deceit, long-buried secrets and magic. From the imagery of the candle-making process to the sight, sound and smells of Tallow’s home, Brooks has created a world that is both familiar and fantastically unreal at the same time.

Set in  a richly woven Venetian setting with canals and gondolas and a fascinating dialect of both English and Italian/Venetian, you will feel instantly transported reading chair and all. Your imagination will fly picturing the magical border land and the creatures that inhabit it. Tallow is also a story that will bring a tear to your eye. It is a poignant and unique tale of self-discovery and self-acceptance, interlaced with the need to hide who and what you truly are.

Brooks has a gift for character development as well. The main characters have been given such depth that you expect to see them standing in front of you every time you manage to tear your eyes back up from the action. The lives of the secondaries will also linger with you and you will find yourself wondering about their fate. All in all, Tallow is one of those magical stories that grab hold and don’t let go, even after the last page is read. It is suitable for both sexes and a wide age range. If there is one book you seek out and read this year, Tallow is well deserving of that honor.

Tallow is the first in “The Curse of the Bond Riders” series and I, for one, will be getting my hot little hands on its sequel, Votive, as soon as possible. If it’s anything like Tallow it will be one hell of a read.

Tallow: The Curse of the Bond Riders 1-Karen Brooks

Paperback, 411 Pages

Published 2009-10-01 by Random House

ISBN:978-1-74166-435-5