Review: Lor Mandela - Destruction from Twins by L. Carroll

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Part I (Destruction From Twins)

When a selfish enchantress seeks to steal mystical powers from her twin sister, she sentences the world of Lor Mandela and its inhabitants to death. In an effort to preserve itself, the soul of the planet appoints a Child of Balance named Audril Borloc who must solve a prophetic riddle known as the Advantiere. All hope seems lost, however, when shortly after her fourth birthday, Audril disappears without a trace.

Desperate to save their world, Lor Mandelan spies travel to Earth in search of the little girl with black hair and bright blue eyes-traits that on Lor Mandela are exclusive to the ruling family, Borloc. Instead, they find seventeen-year-old Maggie. While the age difference between the girls is obvious, Maggie has the Borloc traits-evidence enough for the eager spies. They devise a plan to get Maggie to Lor Mandela, but will their scheme be successful? And what if they have the wrong girl? Who will save Lor Mandela then?

Part II (And So It Must End)

Maggie Baker has always wished for a more eventful life. Unfortunately, she is about to get it. Following an earthquake that no one seems to have felt but her, her mundane existence is thrown into a roller-coaster ride of twists and turns as she suddenly finds herself bouncing back and forth between her hometown of Glenhill, Iowa and the distant world of Lor Mandela. On this strange planet, Maggie must learn who to trust, and who to fear. More importantly, she must find a way to convince the Lor Mandelans that she is not the Child of Balance, and her family and friends in Iowa (and herself for that matter) that she is not going insane.

Amid fighting a two-headed creature, being captured by a lawless band of Shadow Dwellers, and falling head-over-heels for the enchanting son of an evil warlord, Maggie sees the lines of the Advantiere unfold around her. It isn't long before she discovers that her blasé reality could be the real fantasy, and that the fate of an entire world may actually depend on her.

MY TAKE:

I like a good fantasy novel and this book does not disappoint.

The book begins in Lor Mandela where Anika plots to gain power after the position she covets is given to her twin sister. Unfortunately, her actions cause a chain of events that threaten to destroy Lor Mandela. The second part of the novel focuses on Maggie Baker, who is bored with life in her small town. When she's dragged into the world of Lor Mandela, however, it's more excitement than she bargained for.

The first part of the book moves at a pretty fast clip, as it spans several generations of Lor Mandelans. It took me a little while to immerse myself in the book since I had to familiarize myself with the terms that were exclusive to the planet. The terms were easy enough to figure out, though, and it was a nice touch seeing as how some fantasy authors forget to change up the names/labels in their worlds to give it a more personal touch.

As for the characters, most of them were quite endearing and interesting. Maggie annoyed me at times but she was able to redeem herself in the end so it was okay. There was only one character who I didn't like, and who I shall not name so I don't end up spoiling the story. She felt a little bit Mary Sue-ish to me, so I wasn't a fan of hers, even when she was first introduced in the story.

The story, overall, is very good and imaginative. The love stories/relationships were predictable, but that's okay since the story is what matters. The plot of Lor Mandela is well-thought-out and the alternating locations and viewpoints were utilized nicely.

THE GOOD:

1. The story is well-written and imaginative.
2. The world and its society are very detailed.
3. Most of the characters are easy to like.

THE BAD:

1. I'm not fond of the title. :P
2. There's a character somewhere in the book who feels very much like a Mary Sue to me. *shrugs*

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

“Uh, yeah, right,” snipped Maggie, “well, my life is way too boring. I mean, how much more blah could it be? I live in Dullsville, U.S.A.; I go to Ho Hum High; my dad is a freakin’ accountant, for heaven’s sake! Face it, Doc; I am the Mistress of Mediocre!”

READ IT IF:

• You like fantasy novels.
• You feel as though your life is boring.
• You like action movies.

RATING:

SOUNDS INTERESTING?