Steve Rawlings

I received this through the BookLook Bloggers Program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

First, let me say that for a book published by a Christian Imprint, I was thoroughly impressed with the fact that the religious aspects in this book were so subtle that, if you did not know to look for them, you would have believed it to be mainstream young adult fantasy fiction. For a lot of people, that is really a good thing.

I was impressed with how well thought out and well written this novel show more was. I had never heard of the author before but the cover art sucked me in and the description was enough to catch my attention. I mean, really, look at that cover. Isn't that just an awesome cover that makes you want to know what is in the pages?

Cantor's Journey was one that if you think about it enough, can be mirrored in each of our own hearts. The journey to find our way, to learn who we are as we grow up and become the people we are supposed to be. It is a journey that each and every one of us makes, young and old alike, to becoming the people we are intended to be and live the life that the universe has in store for us. I don't think we ever finish that journey until the day we stop breathing.

If you want to know more, pick up the book and give it a read. I really cannot pinpoint much negative about it, except that it was a little slow starting and took me 3 days to finish completely because the beginning just didn't seem to catch on fast enough. Overall, though it was enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for our friends. show less

4.5 Stars

One Realm Beyond is not the normal kind of book I read. I have never been one to read Fantasy. I haven't even read Throne of Glass, which has been on my TBR pile forever. The cover of this novel is what made me want to request this book. I think that is just a BEAUTIFUL cover.



I have been putting One Realm Beyond off for a while now. It's hard to read a book when your going in with "it's fantasy I'm not going to like it" So one day I pulled my big girl pants on and decided to open show more this book up..



WOW, Why Hadn't I done this sooner???? This book is so fun and action packed I didn't even have time to wrap my head around everything going on! I am so picky when it comes to world building and character development, but Donita K. Paul nailed it all!

So we have two Realms, in these realms we have people who can realm jump. Not everyone is a realm jumper let me just get that out there. Well they realm jump for the greater good (helping people out etc). Cantor has been studying his WHOLE life to be a realm walker. When he is finally done and passes everything he is sent off to find his Dragon.



OMG Bridger.... This Dragon here. Guys this dragon is unlike any creature you will have ever read about. I swear if I could have a pet dragon it would be Bridger. This Dragon (Yes seriously A Dragon) almost had me pee my pants from all the laughing I was doing. I loved it!

This book like I said before is unlike anything I have read. If you are into High Fantasy or want to check some fantasy out, I highly recommend it show less

Born with the ability to walk between worlds, Cantor is about
to begin his life as a Realm Walker. His first task: to step
through, and seek the dragon who will be his life-long partner.
His elderly caretakers have begun his training; now, the Realm
Walkers' Guild must continue it. But can the Guild be trusted?

One Realm Beyond is a coming of age adventure written for
Christian kids in the middle grades. Initially, I assumed the
text would be oppressively fundamentalist in its orientation.
In fact, show more the author expresses some skepticism toward those who
try to tell others how to follow God ("Primen," in this
telling), and generally presents a humane version of the faith,
centered on respect and service.

The most engaging plot point is Cantor's search for his dragon.
He immediately meets Bridger, a dragon with surprising
abilities of transformation, but also a proclivity for
embarrassing mishaps. Cantor makes a virtue of not committing
to the first dragon he meets, but we recognize that his
teenaged dignity is offended by the thought of a dragon with
visible imperfections, and his teenaged stubbornness makes it a
struggle for him to overcome his dismissive first impression.
Cantor's battle against his destiny is enjoyable and painful.

The book's view of gender is somewhat less satisfactory. For
the most part, the male characters (both human and dragon) are
interesting for what they can do; the females seem far more
concerned with how they look. Still, NAME, the female lead, is
the most appealing character in the book -- a princess in
disguise, with a variety of skills and an uncertain commitment
to the role of Realm Walker.

Some points are left underdeveloped, partly because this is the
first volume of a series, and partly due to the demands of
exposition. If the villains have motivations beyond
opportunism, for example, they will have to be clarified later
in the series.

But as an adult, I am not in the target market for this novel.
It must be a good sign that when my copy came in the mail, my
11-year-old son immediately latched on to it; I didn't see it
again for three weeks. He reports that the book is "awesome,"
because the characters are cool.

I received this book from the Library Thing Early Reviewers
program in January 2014. show less

(Reposted from my regional library website, original date Mar 08, 2017)

As an avid fantasy reader I find it easy to bump into things that I've seen before, but I enjoyed this read. I picked it up by chance (February's "Blind Date With a Book") and found the characters to be enjoyably quirky, and what might normally come off to me as juvenile (I am an adult reading this) or silly, was pulled off rather well. My only gripe is that as a part of a trilogy, it sort of assumes that I'm going to show more read the rest of them so the story does not progress as far as I suspect it could, but there is a sort of resolution and it does end at a point where an end seems suitable. (Personally, I would like to see more single book fantasies but this seems to be the formula now).

On a side note, if I put my academic hat on there are some religious and possibly Christian parallels in the story. I suppose some people might be annoyed by that but I personally didn't find it obtrusive or anything, and it fits with the story this far.

I didn't intend to read more than the one book from the start, but might continue later when the mood strikes me. I would recommend it. show less