Saturday, November 16, 2013

Book Review: In Golden Splendor by Michael K. Reynolds


Hello Bookworms!!

          I have a new review for you all today! Some time back I read a novel called “Flight of the Earls” by author Michael K. Reynolds. Later, I posted an interview with Mr. Reynolds! Today, I have the review for the second book in the Heirs of Ireland trilogy “In Golden Splendor”. Be careful though, If you haven’t read “Flight of the Earls” this could contain SPOILERS!!!

 

Summary:

          Seamus Hanley’s life has never been easy. His father was a cruel man. His brother Keavan drowned and it was all Seamus’s fault. Now he is a defector from the United States Army living in a cabin that isn’t exactly up to standard for Rocky Mountain Living. When a United States Soldier has an accident on the mountain side, Seamus’s life takes another sudden turn.

          A letter, a picture, and an inner pulling from an unknown source lead Seamus to San Francisco in the middle of the gold rush and the events that follow change Seamus in ways he never thought possible.

 

Review:

          I am going to say first off that this is not a book that you should read without having read the first book first. It will ruin LOADS on surprises from the first book if you read them out of order. Now, to my thoughts on ‘In Golden Splendor”:

          I greatly enjoyed the book. The characters are numerous but none of them are lost in the story. Each and every one of their personalities are distinctive and are just as important to the story as the main characters! No detail is wasted (which is personally something I LOVE in a book. It can get tiresome to read tons of detail that doesn’t further the story). As far as the main characters (Seamus, Ashlyn, Henry Parnell, Annie, Cade, Clare, Davin, Brother Chuck, and others) stories, they braid together better that a little girls pigtails. Michael Reynolds ability to tie details together from the very beginning to the very end (and from book one to book two) reminds me of the writing of J.K. Rowling with the Harry Potter Series.

          There are so many twists in this story that one can never get bored. Something amazing happens, you get a few pages to breathe and process the information along with the character and then BOOM! Something else happens (They’re not all bad things though so don’t panic and jump ship before you start ;) ). Two of my favorite themes that were dealt with in the story had to be the damage that parents can do to their children when they choose not to parent properly and does God really love us no matter what we’ve done (the answer is yes by the way J ).

          I am forced to ask why we have such crappy movies coming out when there are great novels out there that could make amazing movies. Flight of the Earls and In Golden Splendor would make awesome movies! I can see it as I’m reading! Please if you are a movie maker or you know how to contact one, give these books some consideration!

          All that being said, I HIGHLY recommend this book and its predecessor (Flight of the Earls) to everyone! Even to guys! I know that sometimes it’s difficult to get boys to want to read (no offense to any boys and men who do love to read <3 ), but I think these books especially Seamus’s story will be one that they will enjoy following.

 

 


Read my review of Flight of the Earls here!


Read See Lizzie Read's Interview with Michael K. Reynolds here!

 

Until Next Time!!!,

                   Lizzie <3

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