Review - The Keys of Fate: Tower of Change by Tina M. Randolph

ISBN #: 978-0984102402 (sc)

Page Count: 216

Copyright: 2010

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Secrets and mysteries are locked within an ancient tower that the wizard's apprentice must guard with his life.  One simple slip-up puts the fate of the world in the power of a desperate King's Mage, threatening to destroy peace and harmony throughout the world.

Time is running out, and Galax Hanz is the only one with the magical arts to lead a collection of unlikely allies to retrieve the precious Keys of Fate.  But when Galax is pursued by the evil Mage's Bloodwyns - the half-man, half-bird shadowy creatures of darkness - he soon realizes he has been drawn into a monumental struggle that challenges the foundations of his tradition.  Galax will be forced to test his faith and training, which will guide him into the unknown regions on the road to the discovery of the alchemistic formula of life, death and destiny.

*  I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway  *

Mandy's Review:

Cover

The forest, moss-covered key and addition of the swirly, leafy drawings combine to make this an interesting cover.  It's interpretation leans more towards the series' title rather than the book's title.

Plot

A wizard's apprentice is overcome by curiosity while his master is away.  His actions initiate a sequence of events that are potentially catastrophic.  It then becomes his responsibility to clean up his own mess by tracking down and collecting all of the Keys of Fate.

Main Characters

Galax - A wizard's apprentice.  While reading, I noticed he appeared to be full of gifts, but had no real talent.  Whether that was due to the fact he had not been trained in his gifts yet, I don't know ... but it did seem a little ... off.  He always seemed unsure of himself and his actions.

Elazar - The wizard over Galax and master of the castle that houses the Tower of Change.  He is extremely old, wise and talented, but often seems forgetful.

Mortighan - Elazar's oldest friend and uncle to Justise, a lady that helps Galax on his quest to find the Keys of Fate.

Overall

For an adult, this book may seem to start off a little slow.  For a child, however, the book would be captivating ... which is wonderful since the book is written for nine-year-olds and up.

There were good wizards, bad wizards, flying keys (reminiscent of Harry Potter), Bloodwyns, faes, trolls ... many mythical creatures you expect to see in a fantasy book.  I will give the author credit in that she created four different types of phoenix ... which is something I've not read about before.

I would definitely recommend this book/series to children rather than adults.