Back to Atlantis by Bar SagiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The adventure continues…
Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It’s a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking and some are adventurous. I love them all.
BACK TO ATLANTIS by Bar Sagi is book 2 in the Dreamworld Series. It’s an excellent fantasy story that will grab readers and hurl them far beyond the boundaries of our limited world. This YA fantasy story has intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader from the first page to the last. Although the book is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I would highly recommend book 1 in the series YASMIN’S BEGINNING.
The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Yasmin returns to the kingdom of Atlantis, determined to use her newfound powers to rescue its people from a terrible fate… But when David, her true love, turns out to be engaged to another girl, and the persistent voices in her head refuse to let her be, she begins to feel as though maybe she is not cut out to be Atlantis’ savior. And what’s worse, her powers are failing her too… Yasmin vows never to use her magic again, believing that Atlantis can save itself through alliance and cooperation, with no need for her worthless contribution… As villages burn around her and the rebel forces grow stronger by the day, Yasmin is drawn deeper and deeper into the conflict. Secrets and hidden betrayal slowly come to light, and Yasmin is forced to question everything she though she knew… When the time comes, will she be strong enough to face the challenge? Who can she trust? …’
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well written fantasy tale with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of the sci-fi fantasy genre will want it! Although written for a younger audience, I can’t see any reason why anybody of any age wouldn’t enjoy this. I did!
This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from beginning to end. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author again showed exceptional ability when it came to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly spellbinding journey!
There is something very magical about reading fantasy fiction. It speaks to the very thread of my imagination, jolting it to life and transporting it on an exhilarating journey. This book did exactly that. Fans of the sci-fi fantasy genre will not be disappointed.
Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.
Again, regrettably I have to mention that the intended recipient of this review sadly passed away at the young age of 15. A talent that will be sadly missed, but because of her wonderful books – never forgotten. I offer here again my sincere condolences to her family and friends. May she rest in peace.
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