Across the Fourwinds (Maidstone Chronicles, #1)

by Shane Trusz and Darryl Frayne

Is it possible to change the world for good without destroying your enemies?
Will and Morgan begin an epic, action-packed journey across a magical realm to find out.

Will Owens is an orphaned teenager with a unique ability that has alienated him in the quiet town of Cochrane: he can see dark creatures emerging from the Arden Forest. And people are dying.

Will is befriended by Morgan Finley, a stunning fencing champion whose dreams of a Yale scholarship are haunted by her family's secrets. The unlikely friends venture into the Arden Forest where they enter a magical realm in the throes of a brutal war.

Entrusting their lives to a Callum Sage and his rogue companions, Will and Morgan embark on a perilous journey across the Fourwinds to face an ancient evil birthed in a tower known as the Maidstone.

Courage and friendship are tested at every turn, but the group has yet to realize the full extent of the powerful forces that threaten to destroy the Fourwinds and reach far beyond the town of Cochrane.

If you loved escaping to the worlds of Narnia, Middle Earth, or Landover, you’ll want to join Will and Morgan on their incredible journey… Across the Fourwinds.

• ISBN10: 199954952X
• ISBN13: 9781999549527
• Publish Date: 19 December 2018 (first published 25 August 2017)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Fairbay Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 458
• Language: English

Reviews

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

A rather simple, but still enjoyable fantasy, Across the Fourwinds had things that I both liked and disliked. It’s a portal fantasy, which isn’t my favorite fantasy subgenre simply because it’s so difficult to get a proper real world/ fantasy world ratio. In this case the jump to the fantasy felt a teeny bit rushed. I would have liked the introduction of the characters to have a little more attention before throwing them into a new world. That being said, the world is pretty cool.

What I liked so much about Fourwinds is the amount of fantastical creatures. I love seeing how different authors tackle the use of familiar magical critters such as dragons and gnomes. While nothing was earth-shatteringly unique, the authors nonetheless made these creatures their own. The world has a lot to it, and hints at things not explored in the book. That always makes the setting seem larger and more interesting to me.

Now for the characters. I have a bone to pick here. The male characters are well-developed and continue to grow throughout the story. The female characters-not so much. I felt like Morgan existed as a mere background note, although there were pretty common reminders of how attractive she is. What a bummer! So much more should have been done with her character! There is lots of potential for character growth in the next book, so here’s hoping we see more from her.

The plotline was interesting, the world was vast, and there was action aplenty. Despite some hiccups, Across the Fourwinds was fun fantasy.