Debut Novelist Whips up Medieval Whirlwind of Excitement



Beautifully written not only in style and character, but in overall form, "The Winds of Wharhalen" (ISBN 9781591460909, Crystal Dreams Publishing, 2008) is the story of an orphaned youth, Locke Thomason, on his journey towards manhood. His perilous adventure across a medieval landscape filled with bandits, traitors, peasants and knights, is well paced and a satisfying read as the story concludes full circle from the start.

The story is set in the aftermath of a great rebellion that restores the Kingdom of Killarassee from the cruel 30 year reign of the Warlord Zironon, back to the exiled royal line. Yet the warfare treatment in the novel is not a glorification of war, but a bitter necessity to stave off invasions. "[The reign of Queen Engrid that had started with so much promise was suddenly on the brink of total collapse and threatened to vanish, unremembered, into history." (p.137)

At the beginning of the tale, Locke Thomason, our main character, knows as little of the Kingdom's state as he does of gluttony or betrayal. Having grown up in the harsh northern mountains, Locke's youthful naivety leads him to be betrayed by a noble. Consequently stripped of everything (his horse, his gold, and his very freedom) he is unjustly torn from the woman he pledged to free. "Hatred and vengeance still burned inside him, but rather than consume its host, it had become the catalyst to survival." (p. 243)

Yet for all the misfortunes, the greed, the death and the betrayal that surrounds the main characters in this book, it only solidifies the importance of maintaining what good there is in the world. Amidst a sea of traitors, the few who know loyalty value it all the more for its rarity. That being said, "The Winds of Wharhalen" is not a book that dwells on a formal code of chivalry, but is one that beautifully incorporates the theme in the self reflection of its characters. "[Locke soon realized that his memories of Eylese provided him with a serene corner separate from the turbulence of his life. It was a sanctuary tied to the memory of the brief interlude they'd shared in the grove, where time and trouble were suspended." (p. 162) Sustained by memories Locke is forged into a man under the brutal conditions of medieval warfare.

An exciting read that keeps you turning pages to find out what happens next, it is a tribute to the duality of life. It is a tale of love, but also of vengeance spawned at the unjust removal of that love. Not only can Tom Nelson pen great men of valour, but his female characters are awarded their fair share of strength and bravery.

In a world in which a queen aligns herself with peasants and a slave becomes a knight Tom Nelson gives us a taste of the realities of medieval life while assuring us that even in the darkest times, the loyal will find loyalty and the loving will find love.

About the author:

Tom Nelson a family man with two grown daughters. He lives with his wife on a small horse farm in Ohio. As a professional tennis coach for 40 years, Nelson has considerable experience writing instructional articles for tennis magazines and journals, but "The Winds of Wharhalen" is his first published novel.

About the publisher:

Crystal Dreams Publishing is the fiction publishing division of Multi-Media Publications Inc. an independent publisher of books, audiobooks, and DVDs. Celebrating its 20th year, MMP publishes titles under several imprints and series, including Crystal Dreams Publishing (fiction and general adult non-fiction), Impact Publications (entrepreneurship titles), Multi-Media Publications (business and career titles) and the popular Lessons from History series aimed at business leaders. Further information on MMP can be found at http://www.mmpubs.com or by contacting publicity@mmpubs.com.

About the book:

"The Winds of Wharhalen" by Tom Nelson. Multi-Media Publications Inc., 2008. ISBN-13:     9781591460909. Paperback. 264pp. $12.95.

http://www.mmpubs.com/catalog/the-winds-of-wharhalen-book-p-55.html





Debut Novelist Whips up Medieval Whirlwind of Excitement