"Let me start by saying, I loved the writing style. The author somehow magically wove in the tiniest details (scent, environment, emotion, etc) without being overly wordy about it. It was almost like being there with the characters or living through them.
The characters were dynamic and so perfectly “flawed human” that it was easy to sympathize with them one moment and hate them the next. Their environment, personalities, and mood were constantly changing to fit the situations they were put into it. I really liked that, unlike most fantasy books, there are shades of gray here. Sure, the focus of the book was essentially good vs evil but it was presented in a way that it wasn’t just “Paragon” or “Renegade” choices. Instead it weaved in unexpected twists and situations that totally turned things on its head.
It has the perfect amount of fantasy, mixed with the action one expects from fantasy. The fact that magic existed but the plot didn’t revolve solely around it was refreshing, it makes it easier for people who aren’t huge fantasy fans to get engrossed in the complexities of this world just as well as an avid fantasy reader."
~ Kristin Goodreads Reader
"What sets J Carson Rose's story apart, beyond her rich imagination, is her carefully drawn characters. Whether kings and queens or warriors and slaves, J Carson Rose's people are compelling and sympathetic. A great read!"
~ Susan Breen
(Author of The Fiction Class)
“This novel is mainly about Madros and his fall from grace, the dichotomy of his character--why he is the way he is--his motivations for doing horrible things. It's a love story between him and Eamin and it's also a love story between him and his country—and this was seriously a delight to read. What you’re doing, it’s working.”
~ Chuck Sambuchino
(Editor for Writer's Digest)
“In J.Carson Rose's able hands, we are led into the fantastical world of the Grey Woods and beyond, where Time is but a noble concept. There is a rich cast of characters here, as well as love, intrigue, war and loss. I highly recommend spending some time in this world and losing yourself in its endless possibilities.”
~ Sandi Perry
(Author of The Art of Stealing)
“I love the characters and the way you told the story through visions and crossed back and forth in time. I love the way Madros was depicted as this cruel man but then his actions often have positive, unknown outcomes…most of the time at least. I love the way you seeped out his true agenda and disclosed the selflessness of his behaviors and actions. The book had a mounting quality to it which is always wonderful and keeps bringing you back. I couldn’t imagine how you were going to tie things up at the end and was shocked at what happened."
~ Renate
"To read The Grey Woods is to take a journey into an original and fully realized fantastical world. The cast of mystical characters grounded in real-world ambivalence will in turn anger you and cause your heart to break for them. On the shoulders of a tormented hero rests the fate and salvation of all goodness. He alone can stop the dark force that threatens while he battles with his own darkness. The plot is action packed with intense passion and high stakes. The adventure builds with tension to a conclusion that brings the anticipation of renewal."
~ Grace
"A story for fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike. It is sure to become a book you have a hard time putting down. The characters are deeply evolved and troubled, struggling with what to make of their ever-changing surroundings: the death of loved ones, the emotional upheavals of their leader Madros, the potential loss of their kingdom to evil forces and the dark world of Doru. One of my favorite characters was Fin, one of the main protagonists with an eye on everything going on in the kingdom and on Madros. His relatable struggle of maintaining love, answering his calling, sacrificing himself for a greater good (or evil) creates a tension that will leave you rooting for the underdog. A main theme throughout the book is the contention between good and evil, light and dark, love and hate; struggles applicable to the world that we currently live in. We see the characters battle our same struggles while changing and developing as humans to better deal with them.
The magical/fantasy elements are integral to the development of the plot, but not over done and cliche. You find yourself waiting for the re-entrance of Eamin, a reincarnated princess that is the epitome of love for Madros, but who is married to another man to maintain the peace between the kingdoms. And you find yourself drawn to the wise words of her mother Atya, the Lady of the Majae, who are a highly evolved race of spiritual beings aware of the eternal reincarnations of mortals, and guiding them to enlightenment. There is black magic, divine healing, toad faced demons, and battles of epic proportion that add to the plot and complexity of the characters’ lives. By the end of the book you feel connected to them and to the battle that will take place where the good will give everything they have and more not lose their world to the forces of evil."
~ Justyna |
