Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Lynda Sappington has been entertaining people for years with her fan-fiction written under the pen-name Abraxan. Reading Star Sons, it's clear that she put this practice to VERY good use.
While this is obviously the first book in a series, it can stand on its own. There's a definite climax to the action that was fairly satisfying, even as it seems to set a very serious tone for future books.
The first section of the book is written when the brothers are younger, and it's interesting how the tone is noticeably different. It subtly reinforces the 'end of childhood' themes in the rest of the book, lending a poignant air to the brothers' ongoing loss of innocence.
The purpose for which the Star Sons is born is the destruction of evil, and the author doesn't shy away from that. Broga may remind one of Voldemort, but his origins are somewhat darker and emphasize the 'bad seed/psychopath' vibe. When people can do amazing things with magic, that also means that those who are twisted inside can bring nightmares to life. There are also subplots that blur the line between what might otherwise be black and white sides to the conflict. This subtle complexity brings to mind incidents with the partisans in World War Two and the sometimes extreme retributions visited upon collaborators. This only underlines the greater realism these details add to Mrs. Sappington's conflict.
A central theme of the story rests on the relationship between the two brothers. Jake and Ethan are very distinct characters, despite how close they are. (Jake really gets on my wife's nerves, but that's only appropriate considering he is a twerpy younger brother.) Ethan is the older brother, always feeling responsible for everything since their parents died (mentioned on the back cover) - especially his little brother. His frustrations are explored in a realistic fashion, something I can attest to as I am an older brother too.
The affection between the two protagonists is unforced and fairly natural as well. The brothers really care about each other, even when they get on each other's nerves. I'm looking forward to how their relationship grows and matures in future volumes.
And finally, as mentioned on the back cover, the brothers are handicapped at first by a lack of magical training. While this does let the reader discover magic alongside them, I'd like to thank Mrs. Sappington for making this happen in a very plausible manner - unlike some series I could name.
In short, if you enjoyed the Harry Potter books at all, and want to "graduate" to something a little more mature, with far more consistent plotting, then pick up Star Sons, Dawn of the Two, today.
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Every few generations, a mage of great evil appears and wreaks havoc on the world.To defeat this evil, a Star Son is born, heralded by the unique star-shaped mark on his arm.This generation's enemy is Broga, a mage so malevolent that, for the first time in history, two Star Sons are born in the same generation. Broga covets their power and will use any means to gain it - even murder. As young children, Ethan and Jake Payne, the Star Sons of this era, are taken from England to America by their parents to protect them from Broga.The boys are soon orphaned and grow up with no magical training.Now teenagers, Ethan and Jake must find their own way back to the magical world and learn the magic they need to defeat Broga. Will they survive long enough to find help?Or will help, perhaps, find them?
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