The Land of Darkness by C.S. Lakin

Jadiel is a young 12 year old girl who loves her father and misses her mother, who died the year before. On top of grief for her mother she has to deal with her new step-mother, Huldah, and her two daughters. Huldah quickly feels the need to put Jadiel in her place making her do difficult house chores. Still the witch, Huldah, doesn’t like Jadiel taking up time with her new husband and his wealthy estate. To get rid of this nuisance she devises ways to kill young Jadiel. After a couple attempts Huldah comes up with an impossible mission; find the Tree of Youth and bring back a satchel full of its leaves. If she doesn’t Jadiel’s beloved father will die at the next full moon.
Only thing is… no one knows where this tree is, or if it even exists. 
Callen, a young carpenter discovers some old drawings of a bridge, a magnificent bridge, unfortunately no one knows who made it. Determined to find this bridge and learn of it’s creator Callen takes leave of his apprenticeship to find it.
Only thing is… no one knows where this bridge is, or if it even exists. 
These two seekers find each other on the road, Callen fearing for the young girls safety (Who just happens to be his apprentor’s niece.) Offers to help Jadiel with her mission to save her father. Traveling across the land they learn of the bridge’s creator, the Tree of Youth and so much more.

Once again I was entrapped in the wondrous realm of Sherbourne and it's surrounding lands. The hidden magic the world holds and the innuendoes to the previous 2 books — The Wolf of Tebron and The Map Across Time, in the Gates of Heaven Series by C.S. Lakin — had me feeling at with home with The Land of Darkness.

The speed of this tale is one of Lakin's best. The Land of Darkness starts out a bit slow and cumbersome but when I reached part two I was having trouble putting this adventure down. I was blown away at how easily Lakin places facts and stories from other books of the Gates of Heaven series in her stories yet they can be read as stand alone novels. Seeing references to Adian, Tebron and other things would just make me smile.
Now the main tale is about Jadiel and her conflict with Huldah. But Callen had his own villain stalking him a Golgoth, the dark creature from another world that can kill armies in a matter of days. This added a great twist and suspense to the plot, giving it a more grown up feel to your normal fairy tale yet keeping it very friendly for younger readers.
C.S. Lakin also did a wonderful job of laying the mood of the story and scenes. Many times I would find myself holding my breath hoping Callen wouldn’t open the door or wanting to jump for joy when Jadiel was freed from the slavers.  At other times I was irritated at the characters for not understanding, or practically yelling at them trying to tell them to believe.

The characters in this book had as much personality as the other books in this series. From talking boars and frogs, to the strange man constantly speaking in riddles.

I enjoyed this book and am extremely thankful to C.S. Lakin for giving me an advanced copy of her latest tale.

A+

The Map Across Time by C.S. Lakin

When Sherbourne’s queen dies the king goes insane, shoving his daughter and deformed son away. Trying fill the empty space his wife left he turns into a collectaholic, thinking things will help fill the hole. But greed over takes him, to afford his stuff he raises higher taxes on the poor. Sadly for Sherourne the king’s greed is only an underlying problem. There is a deeper sha’mad, destruction, happening and the only way to fix this qa’lal, or curse, is to go back to where (or when) it started, over 300 years earlier. Will the rejected prince take a risk to gain favor in his father’s eyes and save the kingdom? Who will be the Pa’lat, the Deliverer?

Aletha and Adin are a prince and princess.
Aletha is the older of the two, and it shows through her actions. At a young age she was forced to grow up quickly, to protect her brother and be a leader of the kingdom.
Adin meanwhile is shy.  With his hunched back, scared face and twisted leg he feels like a freak. Gladly letting Aletha take most of the roles the young prince should. Adin had the most character development in the book, he wasn’t the same person in the end. He also over came many troubles, teaching a lesson of perseverance.  
The rest of the characters in “The Map Across Time” are enough to give depth but not overwhelm us. It was like “Goldy Locks and the Three Bears” just right. Not to many and not to few.

This book is over 400 pages and I have to say Lakin did a great job giving description and insight without bogging down the book. Every question is answered, there wasn’t anything unneeded, and the time travel was done excellent. The plot wasn’t overly confusing but it was intricate. The only problem was the plot wasn’t “fast pace”, it was well paced to keep me reading but not “I can’t stop reading this book” fast. Looking back there is nothing I can think of that Lakin could have done to speed the plot up without hurting the book.
Most of the time I think the characters make the book, but this is an exception. The plot in this book is purely amazing, the characters and world just added to it.

Sherbourne was masterfully woven together. There is; history, language (some used above), lands, creatures, even futures in this world.

Great book well worth reading!

A

P.S. Some might read this book and wonder how it is related to Wolf of Tebron, you’ll learn. Just hang in there, it’s near the end.