Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1) by Marc Secchia

Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1) was a very enjoyable read.  Aranya is the Princess of Immadia. As the story begins she is taken as a hostage by the Sylakians who have conquered most of the known world.  Right from the beginning you know that there is something special about this Princess. Aranya is not a sit in the castle and wait to be rescued by Prince Charming kind of Princess.  Aranya is a Princess more than willing to fight her own battles, but more than that she is willing to fight on behalf of the oppressed and those that the Sylakians plan to crush and destroy. When the Sylarkians attempt to execute Aranya all they do is provide the key that unlocks some of the mystery of who she really is.

The world building in this book is very good. The characters and creatures you meet along the way are great.  The plot is excellent. I loved some of the deeper themes like the importance of knowing who you really are and the value of living a life you can be proud of. I was also very taken by a dialogue around the scars that we carry and the value they can have in making us who we are.

One of my favorite things about this book was that it was complete in itself while laying some good groundwork for a sequel which I look forward to reading sometime in the future.   

http://www.amazon.com/Aranya-Shapeshifter-Dragons-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00KYQR4NG

Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray

Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray is an exceptionally good book.  It is the sort of book that stands out from the crowd and makes me wish I could go beyond 5 stars in the rating system.  Flight of the Griffin compares favorably to series by two of my favorite authors: Terry Brooks (Sword of Shannara) and Stephen Lawhead (Warlords of Nin).  I give this book high praise in spite of the fact that I disagree with the basic premise; the premise that good and evil need to be kept in balance.  Who needs evil? The only purpose it serves is to bring the good into sharper focus.

There was so much to love in this book which begins with four orphans living on an abandoned boat restored to usefulness.  One of them is followed home by a cat after a night of thievery.  The cat turns out to be a shape shifting girl who often reveals the cat she becomes when she is in her human form.  One of the items bought home that night is a magical book which invites the boys to join a quest.  They are invited to stand with the Source in a battle against Chaos. They are called to be heroes who will save the world in its time of dire need.

This book was in no way a clone, but was imaginative and unique.  There was an attention to detail that brought the characters to life and made them very real. The world building was excellent.  I also appreciated that this book did not have the glaring grammatical errors that can get in the way of enjoying a good book.  

There was some lines in Flight of the Griffin worth taking away. “Sometimes it is more important to make a stand against evil, then to worry about beating it. That’s all that matters to the Source. It only matters that I give my best, the Source sees to all else.”  

C.M. Gray has found a place among my favorite authors of epic fantasy.  I will be reading his other titles as soon as time permits.  Flight of the Griffin was absolutely excellent.