Niel Hancock (1941–2011)

This was not what I really thought it would be. I was never much into the whole personified animal fantasy, so that was really strike one. Strike two is (hate me if you want, I'm a fantasy purist) is the use of pretty much anything found in the modern world. When I got to the parts with the guns and bullets and such, I lost all interest and faith in this writer. That's just me.
There are quite a few parallels to LOTR, which would work for some story lines... just not this one. I am a HUGE show more admirer of LOTR, so if an author wants to display the fact that he/she has no imagination to come up with their own concepts and plots, they better get it right!
Niel Hancock did not.
Even Terry Brooks did a better job at ripping LOTR off.
It's not a bad story, as it had some interesting parts, but overall just not what I had anticipated. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the rest of these. show less

Three loyal friends-Bear, Dwarf, and Otter are drawn together by an enchanted summons, farewell to their fair home in the kingdom of Lorini, and embark on a magical journey to the fabled World Beyond Time.

A place where glows the ageless Circle of Light. Along the way, they meet many marvelous friends, including the mighty wizard Greyfax Grimwald. But little does the trio realize the dangers that await them: the gloomy border of the Northerland, the green fires of the Palace of Darkness, show more evil spells and dark enchantments, and the dread city of Humans, and-most fearsome of all-the evil Dark Queen. show less

Borim, a gentle bear cub, is against his will forced to become the king and leader of his people, the bear nation.

Olthar, the Otter, has a special mission to fight wolves, dragons, and snakes in order to save his people from the power of the Dark One.