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Michael House
Author
Crossroads of Awakening Memory
M.D. House, author
To young trainee Rain Barynd, becoming a Council Guard in bucolic New Haven will secure a positive future that involves neither farming nor any real fighting. Impressing his girlfriend’s skeptical parents and overcoming a handful of bullies among the trainees—along with the inexplicable intensity of his trainer, a decorated warrior from the East—are his greatest challenges. Or so he believes. A rare and ruthless bandit attack marks the beginning of the mayhem that engulfs Rain’s childhood home and sets him on an unimaginable path that includes … his own magic? Talismans that enable travel to other worlds? Griffons and dragons, ancient nemeses thought to be long extinct? Strange metal beasts that spit bellowing fire? And even elves of fairy tale, as real as the dwarves? Amid a besom of chaos and doubt, Rain must work with members of a mysterious ancient order to piece together a growing convergence of clues long prophesied. All while trying to figure out his place in the madness. Only one thing is certain—he is not ready.
Reviews
House invites readers into a richly imagined world where the mundane meets the magical, as young trainee Rain Barynd—who dreams of becoming a Council Guard in his serene town of New Haven on the continent of Rega—works to secure a future away from farming and active combat. Rain’s primary concerns revolve around impressing his girlfriend's skeptical parents, dealing with a few bullies among the trainees, and managing the stern demeanor of his trainer, Master-at-Arms Ileom Mystrevan, a distinguished war hero from the East. But when a rare and brutal bandit attack shatters the peace of his hometown, Rain embarks on a path filled with unimaginable adventure.

Rain is a likable hero, forced to make up for his family’s lower status as farmers with hard work and determination, and his fears of failing beat a steady refrain throughout his journey, driving him to overwork and overachieve compared to his peers. When the attack on New Haven grants Rain an immediate promotion—and leads him to a strange woman who gifts him a magical talisman—he discovers his own latent magic, shocked at his ability to now travel between worlds and encounter mythical creatures like griffons and dragons. House (author of Amulek: Revenant) envisions an astonishing expanse of elves, dwarves, and strange metal beasts, skillfully melding fantasy with reality, as Rain encounters not just magic but “a strange planet” called Earth.

This is an accomplished narrative of chaos and doubt, where Rain must collaborate with an ancient order to unravel a series of long-foretold prophecies—and help determine what Earth’s role is in saving Rega. As he grapples with the growing complexity of his situation, he faces the challenge of understanding his place within the unfolding madness. House’s lush descriptions, coupled with the very real inner turmoil of the story’s central hero, make this unique fantasy a truly epic read.

Takeaway: Fantastical realm where personal growth and epic quests intertwine.

Comparable Titles: Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A-
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A

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