They are running and their trackers are getting closer. They can't let them have the baby. The father runs and throws the blanket off the cliff into the raging river below. The trackers are very sorry they lost the main prize, but they take them into custody. Only the mother knows what really happened to the child...

The publisher sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you). It has been published so you can buy a copy now.

This book sets the pace for the new series. You learn about the hidden world as well as the world the boy child lives in. You watch him grow. And you learn about the intrigue going on in both worlds. The dictator in the underworld wants a male that is a mix of the two worlds for his boss. When he lost the baby he wanted, he demands his parents have another. When the baby is a girl, he kills it and demands another...

The young boy is having his own adventures in the other world. An eagle led him to a cave but he was too scared to cross the footbridge. He knows he must, but he has to wait until he's called again. This book ends with him bracing himself for his quest.

There's much more to be fleshed out but it's an enjoyable read despite the evil dictator. Give it a try and see what you think.

Hamelin Stoop offers all the best qualities of the young adult fantasy novel: a fast-paced narrative that seamlessly mixes the wondrous with the everyday; a careful juggling of diverse characters who appear and disappear at just the right moment; a slow, organic unfolding of secrets and mysteries. And something more. In the tradition of George MacDonald, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Sloan offers three things that have been lacking in modern fantasy: a deep and nuanced understanding of the true nature of good and evil; an equally nuanced understanding of the true nature of masculinity and femininity; a thoughtful meditation on the nature of providence and free will that takes seriously the consequences of our choices . . . even, and especially, when they are made by children.