Reviewer: Janet Davies
Title: Gatekeeper's Realm – Book 2 of The Legacy Series
Author: Elena Dorothy Bowman
Publisher: Write Words Inc
ISBN: 1-59431-481-0
Release Date: November 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Paranormal/Suspense Romance
Year/Setting: Present day
Overall Rating: 3.75
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity/Slang) Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: None
Elena's Website: elenadb.home.comcast.net
The house on The Bluff is a house with history. The house overlooks the Bay of Death. It has seen great battles and characters. It has no modern conveniences but it is full of characters and old world charm. It’s also full of ghostly apparitions called "the Others".
Abigail and Ethan are the present owners of the house. They plan to run it as an Inn for guests to come and experience the history and the beauty of the area. They are well aware that what they do is purely dependant on the will of "the others". Jacob, the spirit that oversees "the others", has been silent on their plans for the Inn. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
When there first lot of guests arrive, Abigail and Ethan hold their breaths waiting on their ghostly inhabitants reaction. The guests at the Inn are charmed, amazed and spooked by the apparitions - knights of old, British Redcoats and pirates - that appear and disappear before their eyes. However when guests start to go missing, it is no longer as charming as they first believed. Do they stay or go? And will the House actually let them go?
I am a sucker for a good prologue and Gatekeeper's Realm certainly had one. I was thinking what is going on here and let me read more. It’s an interesting thought that so much history in one house can determine the fate of many and the destiny of what happens in the house.
I like the characters of Abigail and Ethan as they try and make a go at running a business in the most difficult of circumstances. The fact the "the others" technically allow them to live in the house is an interesting premise. I like how Abigail and Ethan are pretty laid back to having ghosts wandering in and out and having to deal with Jacob the liaison offer, if you like, between the living and the dead. The secondary characters, the guests, are all well written and believable. I would like to think I would coolly handle all the things that happened to them as well as they did.
I was a little confused at the ending. I am hoping there is a sequel to answer all the questions I still wanted answered. Also, I was kind of disappointed that ghostly go-between Jacob did not have much of a part in the book. I kept waiting for him to appear and lead the characters to discover whatever it was they were to know or find or be.
Gatekeeper's Realm is an interesting read. It’s spooky and it makes you wonder abut people and their individual reactions to different situations. If there is a book 3 I’d like to read it.
Janet
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Janet know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews