Keepers of the Flame

Keepers of the flame is book 4 of the Summoning series. All books are about women who are Summoned from Earth to Amee. There, they discover they have power, are needed in a fight against the dark, and they meet their significant other. Book four is no exception, except that instead of one woman being Summoned, this time there are actually two. Well, three, if you read a bit further.Having really liked the first two books, but being a bit disappointed in the third, I wasn't sure what to expect of number four. I needn't have worried: Keepers of the flame is one of my favorites so far. I liked the twins, I liked that personality-wise, they were not at all the same, and I liked that they were healers. There was a bit of macho behavior that show more crept into number three, which was fortunately completely lacking in nr. four. At some point, one of the women gets attacked, and even though she's in quite a state at the time, and one of the male heroes rushes to her aid, she manages things herself. In addition, most of the non-humans are female.

So, if you're looking for a great piece of art, pass this one by. But if you're looking for a nice light read, some fantasy mixed with romance without any gender issues, than Keepers of the flame fits the bill!

P.S. And one little detail I thought was lovely: one of the volarans (flying horses) is called Mud. It's short for Rich-Earth-Warm-And-Soft-From-A-Summer-Shower-To-Play-In. How brilliant is that? show less

Keepers of the Flame
Book 4 of Exotique Summoning Series
By Robin D. Owens
Published by Luna Books (January 2008)
ISBN #978-0-373-80262-3
Trade paperback, 559 pages, $14.95

In Keepers of the Flame, Robin D. Owens, once again spins a magical tale of trans-dimensional love in this fourth entry of her Exotique Summoning Series. The sorcerers of Llandra have already Summoned three women to help their fight against the Dark, the evil attacking their world. They gather for a fourth Summoning, and to their surprise, they summon not one woman, but two. Twins. Both twins have a magical gift to heal, but while one pursued a traditional medicine education, the other travelled the world and learned “new age” techniques. Their diverse learning systems show more will serve them well, because the Dark has stepped up its attacks and brought a deadly plague to Llandra and those who protect her. These twins must risk everything to heal, and yet, as with the others before the Snap will come, a time when the women can get back to Earth. Will they chose to say in their new lives, and with their new loves, or will they return home and leave Llandra in need during its darkest hour?

The one thing I love about this series is the rich, vibrant world building. With just a few words the author paints vivid pictures. Whether she’s describing the magnificent flying horses of this world, or a mischievous ex-hamster, who in Llandra is a being of great magic and power, everything is crystal clear to the reader. The characters aren’t perfect. Our twin sisters have their flaws, as do all the character, and it’s this humanness that really brings a touch of Earth to this alternate universe. We see ourselves in the foreign characters, and their actions are perfectly understandable.

Within this fantasy framework, the author creates a story that resonates with magic and truth. Beautifully written passages pull the reader in, and a plot that’s tuned perfectly to the music and rhythms of the books makes you long to read more. Luckily, this reader won’t have to wait long. The last book in the series will be out in January. show less

I think the effect fades on rereading, because this one, read for the first time, gave me the whirlwind feeling again as the previous three didn't on this rereading. It's a little odd, with three Exotiques in one book - and poor Faucon! - but a rich story. The differences between Bri and Elizabeth are fascinating. I liked Zeres, too. And the roc and the baby feycoocu are neat. The Medicas are much less focused on direct battle, and much more on helping the rest of Lladrana. Nice for Sevair, too. Good individual stories, a lot more about Lladrana in general - less firmly focused on the Castle (and the Circlets, an equally closed society). Gee, there are taverns in Castleton besides the Nom de Nom! I liked the variations on Blossom's show more name, too. And the information about names in general. Yeah, fun. But I'm impatient to get on to the next book and the end of the story... show less

I think the author has done better when concentrating on one main hero/heroine character set. Her bringing in 2, no, make that 3 new exotics (transplants from Earth) in one book stretched the character study out thinly and it was hard for me to invest as much in this book as I have with her earlier ones.

I am still looking forward to the next, just not maybe as eagerly as I have in the past.

Book 4 of Robin Owen's Summoning series, in which a country called Llandrana, on a world called Amee, summons women to help them defeat the Dark Enemy sending monsters against them. The women are modern women of the United States, mostly from the Denver area, and are summoned because of their particular talents. In this book twin healers, one a doctor, are summoned to help heal the disease the Dark has created to further weaken its enemies. Elizabeth and Bri are their names. They too, must learn quickly to adjust to a new world and to help.

This entry in the series, like the others, is well written, with good characterization and a well-depicted alternative world. There are surprises in the plot that promise interesting things in the show more future. Recommended. show less

totally love this series!