| When she was a little girl, Brenna Fallon loved her pet dog more than anything. She couldn't bear the thought of his death, but she knew that he was getting old. She read about an ancient god named Mars Nodens, who was said to favor dogs and decided that she would ask him to let her dog live longer. Unfortunately, her prayer was answered...
Years later, Brenna discovers that she opened a gateway of power by a spring on her property - a gateway that can be used for both great good and great evil. To survive, she must rely on her wits and follow her instincts to strengthen the gateway as a power for good. She also finds assistance from a mysterious stranger, Masera, whom she is unwillingly attracted to. But her greatest helpmate is a puzzling stray dog named Druid who becomes far more than a faithful companion... This book was a fun find for me as it is different than your typical fantasy. I like dogs, but do not own one, and it was very entertaining to hear about Brenna's job as a dog groomer and all of the problems that she has to deal with every day. The book is packed with interesting characters and I enjoyed meeting all of them. The plot was pretty well-paced, it seemed to kind of stall in a couple of spots, but it kept me going and I read it in one sitting. Durgin spent quite a bit of time on a debate between Christian religions (believing in a God) and pagan religions where there are many gods. The main character, Brenna, struggles with believing in both and visits the priest at the church a couple of times, has inner debates, etc. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - very upbeat FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Descript. of chases or violence - 30 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10 % Animal Story Yes Kind of animal - dog Main Character Identity: - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Main Adversary Identity: - magical being Has magical powers? Yes Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - can talk to animals - fire/thunder/weather cntrl - super strength - can cast all sorts of spells - Invisibility How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters Setting Earth setting: - current (early 21st century) Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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