Water Keep

Farworld: Water Keep is the first in a new YA fantasy series by J. Scott Savage. The story revolves around Marcus Kanenas, an orphan who dreams of a far-off world where his physical handicaps won't hinder him and magic is all around; a world he calls Farworld. In Farworld, animals and tree talk, fish can swim in the air, and everyone has magic, and Marcus is normal. Actually Farworld is a very real place, and there is a reason that he can dream of it so vividly. It is also the story of Kyja, who lives in Farworld, but considers herself handicapped there, for in a world where everyone has magic, she has none. Both kids think themselves outcasts due to their individual handicaps, but when circumstances force Kyja to bring Marcus to show more Farworld, both discover that their handicaps are really only in their minds, and that by working together, they may be able to save both Earth and Farworld.

It was a little slow going at first with Water Keep, but after I got into the flow of the story, it was hard to put the book down. J. Scott Savage has clearly fully imagined what Farworld is and what it's all about. The key to magic in Farworld centers around the Elementals, mythic creatures who control the 4 elements of water, air, land and fire. There are branches of white and black magic that can be accessed, but it is important here to keep a balance, otherwise you could fall completely into black magic and be corrupted forever.

The characters are fleshed out and believable; Marcus and Kyja, the skyte Riph Raph (imagine a small dragon), Master Therapass, the kindly fatherly wizard, all the myriad of magical creatures that inhabit Farworld, even the evil Thrathkin S'Bae; each of these characters are fully realized and each comes with his or her own back story. Savage does a great job including each person's history into the book without making it feel weighed down by excessive storytelling.

As a complete aside from the storytelling, I just have to mention how much I love the cover as well; it is almost worth the price of admission alone! I hope that they keep this same look uniform through the rest of the series.

Overall, a really fun book that has some great lessons to be learned for younger readers, but enough adventure and surprises to make it enjoyable for older readers as well. I'm looking forward to the future releases in the Farworld series. show less

One of the first things I do when I crack open a book is to read the dedication. This one I read out loud to my husband and he immediately zeroed in on the mention of solving Ultima games. As a result, he plans to read this book based on that alone. Okay, so maybe that isn’t quite true. He does enjoy a good fantasy story and that may have something to do with it too.

Thirteen year old Marcus Kanenas is alone in the world. He is an orphan, having moved from place to place, school to school, and he isn’t sure how long he’ll be at the latest one. Bound to a wheelchair and the target of bullies, he has learned to be resourceful. He has a talent for disappearing and sensing what is to come, gifts he does not fully understand, but which show more have come in handy in a pinch. He often dreams of a far away world, one full of magic and talking animals and trees. He calls it Farworld. He daydreams about a young girl about his age whose name begins with a K, an imaginary friend—or so he believes.

Marcus discovers that his dreams are not so farfetched, however, when a man comes for him, posing as an attorney representing his long lost parents. Once the man has Marcus alone, his true identity and intentions are revealed and Marcus must fight for his life. A helping hand comes from an unexpected place—an unexpected world, in fact. Kyja reaches out to Marcus, sensing the danger he is in, and pulls him into her world, that of Farworld. Farworld is even more amazing than Marcus imagined it would be. He marvels at the joking horse and the singing flowers. He is enamored by the commonness of magic.

Like Marcus on earth, Kyja is a bit of an outcast in Farworld. Magic is commonplace in her world, a natural ability that everyone shares. Everyone that is except for Kyja. Like Marcus, she has had to endure stares and jokes on her behalf. She has learned to live without magic, and yet it is something she longs for. Perhaps it is buried deep within her as her friend and teacher, the wizard, Master Therapass suggests.

Kyja’s opening the way for Marcus to enter into Farworld has much bigger ramifications than either can imagine. A balance has been disrupted and both will quickly discover that they are a part of a bigger plot. The Dark Circle is growing more powerful and will stop and nothing to find Marcus and Kyja to either destroy them or bend them to their will. The only hope is for Kyja and Marcus to bring together the four Elementals—water, land, air and fire. Their search will not be an easy one. Not only do they face the threat of the Dark Circle and its minions, but also other enemies such as the mimickers and unmakers.

While separately the two do not seem like much of a threat against any evil, together they make quite a team. Their friendship and faith in each other is strong, but will it be strong enough to see them through to the end?

Water Keep is the first in the Far World series by J. Scott Savage. There is innocence about both Kyja and Marcus that is instantly endearing and yet both characters are wise beyond their years. They have had to overcome a lot in their thirteen years, faced loneliness and learned to make do with what little they had. Neither thought they were special in any way, and yet when faced with danger, they both proved they had more courage and strength than most people would probably have shown in the same situations.

The author did a great job of capturing the wonder and newness of Farworld to Marcus and of Earth to both Kyja and Riph Raph, the skyte. Kyja especially touched my heart; she is thoughtful and caresabout complete strangers in need. She never asks for anything in return, just doing what she knows is the right thing to do. She also is quite blunt when she needs to be, standing up for what she believes and is not willing to back down just because danger is too close at hand.

J. Scott Savage has created characters that will appeal to young audiences as well as older ones. It is definitely a young adult series, the story is not overly complex and the characters are easy to relate to.

Farworld is an amazing place, full of magic and life. While avid fantasy readers may see some similarities in the set up as compared to other well known fantasy novels, there are plenty of differences and fresh ideas present as well. There is definitely a connection between Earth and Farworld, and I look forward to discovering more about it as the series progresses. J. Scott Savage’s Far World series was a delightful reading experience. I can’t wait until the next adventure. show less

Summary: Marcus Kanenas is an outsider, an orphan, that freak in a wheelchair despised and reviled by his peers, and he has been for all thirteen years of his life. But Marcus is special - he's got a strange brand on his arm, strange powers he can't explain, and a daydream about a place called Farworld that seems somehow more real than a regular dream. When Marcus is endangered by one of the evil men from his dreams, he is yanked away from Earth and into Farworld, where he meets Kyja. Although she is sound of body, she too is crippled - unable to do even the simplest magic in a world where fish can fly, barnyard animals tell corny jokes, and magic exists even in the flowers and trees. However, Marcus's escape from danger on Earth is show more only temporary - the monstrous agents of the Dark Circle are in Farworld as well, bent on capturing both Marcus and Kyja, because in their hands lies the fate of both Farworld and Earth. In order to escape the Dark Circle and save their respective worlds, they must convince the Elementals of the four powers - Water, Land, Air, and Fire - to work together... a task that has never been done before.

Review: In the midst of the post-Harry Potter onslaught of young-adult fantasy novels and series, it's got to be pretty hard for an author to write a story that truly stands out while still respecting the conventions of the genre. Farworld: Water Keep manages these dual hurdles well; an impressive feat considering that it's got more than a hint of the pigboy parable to it and thus is going to invite the inevitable comparisons to HP and other giants. The blending in of the ideas of elemental magic and alternate but parallel worlds adds some interesting wrinkles to the standard quest tale, and Marcus and Kyja both have their own distinct quirks that keep them from being just your average pigboy (or girl). In my experience, it's rare to have a hero who is disabled without making his or her disability a focus of the book, but Savage manages to remind you of his characters' limitations without making a huge showy fuss. Likewise, Savage handles the message of the book deftly, making the moral precepts clear without beating the reader over the head with them.

One thing that was a bit disappointing was a slight lack of complexity. I think this is a combination of some first-novel hesitancy and the fact that this book is geared towards a slightly younger age set than I was expecting. The action moves along quickly and draws the reader into and through the book at a rapid clip, and it's funny, with likable, relatable narrators, but I kept looking for a depth of characterization or motivation that didn't quite materialize. This was particularly noticeable in the bad guys; evil's more interesting when it's got shades of grey, but Savage's bad guys are out to destroy the world (albeit with some genuinely scary monsters) because, well, that's what bad guys do. Of course, this could all be due to the fact that it's the first book in a series; more concerned with worldbuilding and introductions, and not wanting to give too much away up front. I hope that as the series progresses, and both the audience and the writing matures, more of the backstory will be revealed that gives more retrospective depth to the action-adventure tale of this first book. However, this book is good enough to draw me into the series, and into the world Savage has created, and I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next one. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: No big surprises here, and skews a bit on the youngish side, but a solid and enjoyable young-adult fantasy novel and a promising start to the Farworld series. show less

There is a boy who is different from other boys. He has special powers. He can do strange things just by thinking about them. He is different, has never fit in; he’s an orphan, mistreated and unwanted. He has a strange mark on him. Sound familiar? It’s not what you think; but, it is the start of a ripping good fantasy for young readers.

Farworld: Water Keep, the first in a series of what will become five books, begins with the story of Marcus, a wheelchair bound orphan bullied by his schoolmates, who can conveniently make himself unseen and who dreams of an imaginary land called Farworld. One day a man shows up to inform Marcus that he’s taking him to his long lost parents, an orphan’s dream. But something is unsettling to show more Marcus….

In the meantime, we switch to another world where an orphan girl, Kyja, is attempting to perform magic. It seems everyone in Kyja’s world can perform magic, but not Kyja. This has left her a shunned outcast too. Even though Master Therapass, a wizened wizard, believes she has magic inside of her, Kyja is downtrodden. Kyja’s first magical power will be saving Marcus from the man, Bonesplitter, and the adventure will begin…

Marcus and Kyja are not only special, they are the great hope for saving both Farworld and Earth from sinister forces bent on destroying them. Filled with suspense, action and all the best elements of a great fantasy, Farworld: Water Keep is a wonderful addition to our fantasy shelves.

Author J. Scott Savage does many, many things right with his tale. He invents a plethora of creatures to spark the imagination, including the Elementals which will make-up a large portion of the five story’s thematic focus as the children will have to get them to work together in order to save their worlds. The first group of Elementals we meet, the Fontasians, control water and are as otherworldly as one can imagine.

The tale opens with a surprise and continues at a quickened pace, divided into manageable chapters and sections for young readers. Critics might argue that the pace becomes overly fast, but when set within the realm of children’s literature, it’s important to remember that faster-paced, shorter chaptered novels assist young readers. And while the plot does evolve at a break-neck speed through mostly action, the exceptional foreshadowing further propels the plot. The tale also jumps smoothly and believably between worlds. Very rarely, if ever, do we get more than one world within a chapter. This provides for excellent breaking points.

Characterization is handled well. Marcus’s disability is thoughtful and matter-of-fact. Savage isn’t overly cautious with having his protagonist disabled, meeting the challenge head-on and credibly. I would like to see some further character investment, but think this will happen as the story progresses through the four remaining books, as the first novel in a fantasy series almost always spends large chunks of effort on character and setting introduction.

My only qualm is with the good old suspension of disbelief factor that plagues fantasy. I kept worrying about how the world jumping would affect the children. At times, it became too easy and convenient. Marcus’s half-there, half-here sickness was never fully resolved. I’m hoping this silly little doubt will be explained in further novels, as I’ll be reading them all.

Perhaps the thing this reviewer liked best about Savage’s style was his calling out of the Harry Potter comparisons. When Marcus meets Kyja and her world, he asks her if she can, “fly on brooms and send letters with owls like Harry Potter?” Her response? “A hairy what?” This puts the comparisons comically to rest.

Recommended for readability level grade 4 and up, as a read a-loud for younger elementary students, for students with disabilities, and lovers of high fantasy.

Review first published on Reading Rumpus show less

Marcus and Kyja are orphans, both with handicaps that mark them as outsiders. Marcus was discovered as a baby with crippling injuries to his arm and leg that would keep him confined to a wheelchair for life. His only relief from the struggle of everyday life is his uncanny ability to make himself "disappear" and his daydreams of an imaginary magical place called Farworld.

Kyja is without magical powers in a world where magic is commonplace and used for everything from cooking to playing children's games. She can neither practice magic nor be affected by the magic of others. When Marcus finds himself in a life or death situation, he and Kyja suddenly find themselves united in a distinctly unimaginary Farworld where it falls to the two of show more them to undertake the dangerous journey to save Farworld from the Dark Circle despite, or perhaps, it seems, with the help of their weaknesses.

Water Keep is a very promising start to what promises to be another addictive young adult fantasy series. Marcus and Kyja are engaging characters, easy to sympathize with as they are burdened with the fate of Farworld with only an evasive old wizard and their wits to guide them. Savage's Farworld is populated with fascinating creatures of all sorts ranging from the evil Thrathkin S'Bae, to the invisible Unmakers who feed on the magic of their prey, to the self-involved Water Elementals upon whom the fate of Farworld may well depend. A great page-turner with positive, but not preachy, messages of turning weakness into strength and finding the magic inside of yourself, Farworld: Water Keep is a tantalizing start to the series that already has me waiting for the next book. show less

This book was seriously engaging. I also really appreciated that Savage began the story with his main character in a wheelchair. Persons with disabilities are seriously under-represented in literature. In addition, there was a strong value put on caring for others, self-sacrifice, and just being a nice person. All this is not to say that “Water Keep” got preachy or righteous, that is not at all the case. This is a fun book and one where I cared about the characters, particularly Kyja and Marcus.

If you’re depressed that there will be no more Harry Potter books and would like a new young adult fantasy series to ease your mind, this is it folks! J. Scott Savage has a five book deal, so get in on the ground floor.

For the full review:
show more target="_top">http://www.devourerofbooks.com/2008/08/far-world-water-keep-book-review/ show less

Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com

Thirteen-year-old Marcus Kanenas has always been tormented because he lives his life in a wheelchair. Everyone sees him as an outcast, even though he really is a survivor and dreamer and he just wishes that he could escape his life as an orphan. In an attempt to escape, Marcus creates a world in his head. Here animals talk and tell jokes, trees have personality, and, best of all, magic fills the air. He's even appropriately named this far-off place Farworld. Little does Marcus know that Farworld actually exists.

One night a mysterious man comes to the boys' house where Marcus is residing and claims that he is a state attorney. He has come for Marcus, claiming that his parents have been looking for show more him. What Marcus doesn't know is that this man has an alternate identity, one that could be very harmful to him. When Marcus realizes what he's up against, he tries to escape. Before harm can befall him, though, he is somehow transported to Farworld. After recovering from the initial shock of waking up in new world, Marcus meets Kyja, the girl that brought him into Farworld and the girl that is most often in his dreams. But Kyja is different. She is the only one in this world of magic that doesn't posses any magical skills. While Marcus is an outcast on Earth because of his paralysis, Kyja is an outcast in Farworld because of her lack of magic. The only true friend she has is her skyte (a creature much like a lizard, but don't ever call them that!), Riph Raph.

Together they must embark on a journey. It seems that Kyja's good friend, Master Therapass, has been keeping a secret for the past thirteen years that is particularly dangerous to both Marcus and Kyja alike and could change the fate of both worlds. The Dark Circle, the evildoers in Farworld, have caught wind of this secret and are dead-set on finding Kyja and Marcus. As the Dark Circle's power grows, it is harder and harder for the kids to stay away. Their only hope is to convince the mythical Elements -- fire, earth, air, and water -- to create a drift between the worlds. Their first stop is Water Keep. On their journey they will battle everything the Dark Circle can throw at them. Together they learn much about each other and themselves, forging an everlasting friendship.

Where to start, where to start?? Fantasy has never really been my thing. While I have always loved a good book that centers around magic, the whole alternate world has never been my personal choice. When I got offered this book, I thought, why not? I mean, I feel that since I'm a reviewer now I should expand my genre horizons. With that said, I was hoping to find a book that would introduce me into the fantasy world and give me a better look at what the genre is really all about.

The first couple of chapters of WATER KEEP started off a bit shaky. I couldn't really tell where the story was going and I felt like the characters were really mean towards Marcus. As I got further into the book, the story quickly picked up and I found myself enthralled. The author really has a talent for making a faraway place seem realistic. I felt like I was riding along with Kyja and Marcus in their journey across the country land of Farworld. The comments that some of the characters made, especially Riph Raph, were very humorous and I found myself chuckling many times. I also thought that the premise of the
book was very interesting. I honestly didn't think that the plot would appeal to me, but in the end I think it is what made the book so special. Not only did the kids go on a journey to find the Water Keep, but also on a journey of self-discovery. I think this is an important theme in books and, while it is common, J. Scott Savage was able to put a twist on it and make it original.

The one thing that really made this message stand out to me was when Master Therapass said: "The real power of magic lies within you. Who you are, what you do, and most importantly of all, what you may become." I think that this is so true and this message continues throughout the book, but not in a monotonous manner. I also think that the dialogue in the book was great. It wasn't forced and it seemed to flow well. It also fit the characters. I've found that as I read more and more I realize that sometimes the author creates dialogue that doesn't match the characters personality. In this book, however, I could totally picture the characters saying what the author had written. I found it unique that the main character in the book had a disability, but it wasn't the main focus of the story. Marcus really came to almost accept his disability and learned to succeed with in spite of it.

Overall, I found myself riveted by this first book in the FARWORLD series, anxious to see what would happen next. Even now I am waiting to find out what will happen in future books, which I hope to see plenty of! For me, this was a great introduction into the fantasy genre, which I will for sure be reading more of now! show less